Something experience with GNUstep

[Jan Trembulak]

Let me inform you about my experiences I have gained at working with GNUstep
(under OS Solaris) for a long time. They are as follows:

 1. Application of Xlib function XSetWindowBackgroundPixmap
(display,window,pixmap) for defining the the pixmax of window would bring
about a certain speed-up at the use of backend: Basically, this pixmap could
be used as a substitution for the cache of window. Surely, then no
short-time (but still disturbing) overdrawing of the window blank areas
would occur when switching between the overlapping windows or when shifting
a window. (It could also be observed when switching between the desktops at
the use of Window maker.)

2. At the use of the window with lowered level (e.g. [myWindow
setLevel: -10]) the following occurs: When closing the window being over the
lowered level window, an unnecessary overdrawing of all windows that are
also over this window and that are of higher level than 'myWindow' occurs.
This happens also in the event when after closing the window , the
'myWindow' becomes a key window. Probably the windows are rearranged in such
a way that 'myWindow' in a  'key' state, gets to the front, however, at the
same time being a window of lower level than the rest of windows it gets
under the other windows of the application. If the content of the windows in
the application would be saved in compliance with point 1.) such a visible
overdrawing would probably never occur.

3. The NSBrowser object does not work properly:
 - at reloading the column [myBrowser reloadColumn: i] it does not restore
the selected rows (cells).

4. When activating the NSPanel of floating type (holding down the mouse
button pressed at the panel button), the NSPopUpButton object that is in
this panel gets unpacked under this panel (that is why it is invisible).

5. On the the Openstep for Mach 4.2 operation system the runModalForWindow
method don't centre window if they are started up as modal windows by this
method.

 I do hope some of my experiences (mostly points 1,2) will help to remove
some inaccuracy of GNUstepu and will support its further enhancement.
(Experiences with the gstep-core010109 version)

jan trembulak