Re: GUI design

[Clark Dunson]

I'm new to this discussion, have written GUIs also.

John Chain's comments ring true with me, and that is what the Matlab, GNU, and 
GUI Octave projects have in common.  They are great big stovepipes of code 
produced by a single group.

To me if we could get "everyone" contributing to the GUI, that would be much 
better.  Note how the discussions of plotting functionality are always 
separated from talk about GUI.  This is just a mindset, IMHO.

Mathworks has offered GUI building functionality as part of the product for a 
while.  If we be Qt, then how to create GUI building in the m-file?  Focus by 
the core group on devising the GUI/API layer that allows us all to create GUI 
might be time very well spent.

Of course this is probably already talked about, perhaps even already written 
and available.

if( so )
  Apologies for speaking out of turn
else
  That's one thought.
end


On Mar 23, 2012, at 3:31 PM, Daniel J Sebald wrote:

> On 03/23/2012 04:55 PM, Ben Abbott wrote:
>> On Mar 23, 2012, at 3:02 PM, Daniel J Sebald wrote:
>> 
>>> On 03/23/2012 01:20 PM, Jordi Gutiérrez Hermoso wrote:
>>> 
>>>> 2012/3/23 Daniel J Sebald<address@hidden>:
>>>> 
>>>>> One question is whether people are more productive using a GUI
>>>>> versus a command line and an editor like gvim or whatever.
>>>> 
>>>> This is irrelevant.
>>> 
>>> No it's not.  Being productive is important.
>> 
>> There are many novice users who believe the GUI makes them more productive, 
>> and many experienced users who think the command line is more productive for 
>> them.
>> 
>> Since, no one is forced to use the GUI, I don't see how adding a GUI to 
>> octave is relevant to those who don't plan to use it.
> 
> I'm not trying to dissuade people from creating a GUI for Octave.  (I am 
> making a case though, even if you are a new user, to consider focusing on the 
> command line because you might find it more efficient.)  I'm saying it is a 
> lot of work for maintainers and some people might prefer to focus on other 
> things in the core code.  My personal preference is that if the maintainer 
> list is opened up to maintaining GUI code, it should at least bring something 
> to the table.  (Maybe Octave Developers list is a better forum for GUI 
> development.)
> 
> The other part about the initial inquiry was replicating GUI Octave, and I'm 
> asking why GUI Octave?  Will all the new users who are attracted to a GUI for 
> Octave be satisfied with what looks to be a skimpy interface?  Is there 
> debugging?  Is there GUI building?  Is there a way to modify, WYSIWYG-style, 
> the plots?
> 
> I just saw John Chain's post under "Re: Proposal for GSoC. (address@hidden)" 
> which is similar to what I'm saying.
> 
> Dan