Summer of Code

Hi there,

I am a student from New Zealand and I am looking to submit a
project for
the Google Summer of Code program. I would be obliged if
anybody who is
interested (particularly possible mentors ;) ) could take a
look at my
project idea and give me feedback before I submit my
project.

http://m
assey.kaos.org.nz/personal/glasstop/

Also, I wouldn't at all mind getting involved anyway. I
expect I'll have
to go start reading bug reports... 


cheers,

tonic - Russell Lomax

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On 5/2/06, tonic <ghatanothoagmail.com> wrote:
> Hi there,
>
> I am a student from New Zealand and I am looking to
submit a project for
> the Google Summer of Code program. I would be obliged
if anybody who is
> interested (particularly possible mentors ;) ) could
take a look at my
> project idea and give me feedback before I submit my
project.
>
> http://m
assey.kaos.org.nz/personal/glasstop/
>
> Also, I wouldn't at all mind getting involved anyway.
I expect I'll have
> to go start reading bug reports... 

This all looks like compositor stuff, which is Søren's area
of
expertise.  (I'm still stuck with nvidia cards, and
furthermore my
machines aren't very stable at all with 3d graphics
anyway).  Much of
your ideas look similar to Apple's Exposé feature.  Compiz
(an
experimental window manager) has the feature as well, but
I'm not sure
if Søren has added such a thing to metacity yet.  If not,
porting it
from compiz might be a good way to start. (There is also
expocity, a
non-accelerated add-on to metacity to try to do this, that
never
really caught on)  I'm a little leery about removing panels
and am not
sure if removing workspaces would work, BUT it definitely
can't hurt
at all to experiment with different UI ideas, and some of
your ideas
look like they could be cool.

Anyway, I've kept myself out of the pool of mentors because
I'm
considering participating as a student (I just need to
figure out
which task(s) to include in a proposal).  I wouldn't really
be the
right person to mentor this particular task anyway, though.

I hope something I said helps.  Sorry I don't have any more
useful
information than that.

Elijah
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On 5/2/06, tonic <ghatanothoagmail.com> wrote:
> Hi there,
>
> I am a student from New Zealand and I am looking to
submit a project for
> the Google Summer of Code program. I would be obliged
if anybody who is
> interested (particularly possible mentors ;) ) could
take a look at my
> project idea and give me feedback before I submit my
project.
>
> http://m
assey.kaos.org.nz/personal/glasstop/
>
> Also, I wouldn't at all mind getting involved anyway.
I expect I'll have
> to go start reading bug reports... 
>
>
> cheers,
>
> tonic - Russell Lomax
>

You may want to check out some older window managers for
prior art
of representing large virtual roots. There was quite a bit
of variation
before workspaces became the predominant metaphor. gwm had a
"hyperbolic pager" and "doors",
IIRC.
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> This all looks like compositor stuff, 

Yes, well almost. I forgot to add details on how to
determine the
relationships between the windows and applications.

> which is Søren's area of
> expertise.  (I'm still stuck with nvidia cards, and
furthermore my

I haven't yet heard anything from Søren, here's hoping


> machines aren't very stable at all with 3d graphics
anyway).  Much of
> your ideas look similar to Apple's Exposé feature.

I've had a play with Exposé on a friends laptop. I seems
to be as the
first step in experimenting with new ways to present windows
and
applications. However I don't think it scales very well and
it feels
very much like a quick hack. With Glasstop I was
specifically trying to
think of ways to scale nicely with the number of windows and
applications that are open.

>   Compiz (an
> experimental window manager) has the feature as well,
but I'm not sure
> if Søren has added such a thing to metacity yet.  If
not, porting it
> from compiz might be a good way to start.

I'll take a look into this.

>  (There is also expocity, a
> non-accelerated add-on to metacity to try to do this,
that never
> really caught on)  I'm a little leery about removing
panels and am not
> sure if removing workspaces would work, BUT it
definitely can't hurt
> at all to experiment with different UI ideas, and some
of your ideas
> look like they could be cool.

Basically I see this as an opportunity to experiment. The
getting rid of
workspaces was because I saw them as being redundant in such
a UI.
Getting rid of the panels is merely an idea to which future
development
could take place. Obviously with something like this only
practical
experimentation would prove the ideas.

> 
> Anyway, I've kept myself out of the pool of mentors
because I'm
> considering participating as a student (I just need to
figure out
> which task(s) to include in a proposal).  I wouldn't
really be the
> right person to mentor this particular task anyway,
though.

I've spent some time looking through the ideas suggested.
Some of them
look quite fun to do. I did happen to see a number of ideas
with you as
a willing mentor e.g. Make a library for single-instance
apps (Elijah
Newren). Maybe this needs updating 

> 
> I hope something I said helps.  Sorry I don't have any
more useful
> information than that.

It is good to have talked and feedback is always great.
Meanwhile, I'd
better submit this proposal.

best of luck 

tonic - Russell Lomax

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