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OS/2 - Technical => Applications => Topic started by: miturbide on 2011.03.24, 23:28:42

Title: Desktop Widgets for eCS-OS2 ??
Post by: miturbide on 2011.03.24, 23:28:42
Here it is a screenshot of Kludgets port.
http://kludgets.com/
Title: Re: Desktop Widgets for eCS-OS2 ??
Post by: Joachim on 2011.03.25, 11:58:50
Quote from: miturbide on 2011.03.24, 23:28:42
Here it is a screenshot of Kludgets port.
http://kludgets.com/

Wow! That is cool! It is not listed under the qt-apps page at netlabs (yet) - where to find it?
We only seem to miss alpha-channel/transparency support on the desktop.

Nice, thanks!

Joachim
Title: Re: Desktop Widgets for eCS-OS2 ??
Post by: miturbide on 2011.03.25, 19:53:33
I also agreed that is cool.

Salvador is working on this port. It is just a test version that he sent me.

Still misses:
- Transparency
- Shourtcuts enablement
- some documentation
- nice installer

Martin.
Title: Re: Desktop Widgets for eCS-OS2 ??
Post by: melf on 2011.03.26, 13:22:54
Really a nice beginning, with transparency it would be real cool!
Title: Re: Desktop Widgets for eCS-OS2 ??
Post by: Joachim on 2011.08.19, 17:29:33
Hello Martin,

is this (kludget port) still under development?

Thanks,

Joachim
Title: Re: Desktop Widgets for eCS-OS2 ??
Post by: Pete on 2011.08.19, 18:54:57
Hi All

I'm sure this will appeal to some people but it does not get me excited in any way.

Maybe I'm missing something here but it looks like a collection of applets cluttering up the desktop.


Regards

Pete
Title: Re: Desktop Widgets for eCS-OS2 ??
Post by: miturbide on 2011.08.19, 19:50:18
Hi Joachim

I haven't got a reply from Salvador.  I'm not sure if it is going to be finished this port.

He told me that was a very easy to port thing, but I don't know more. I just hope the transparency can get fixed.

Title: Re: Desktop Widgets for eCS-OS2 ??
Post by: ivan on 2011.08.20, 00:08:58
I have to side with Pete on this.

What do they do for a working system?  I can see they would appeal to the 'Oooo shiny shiny' brigade but unless they can help with getting work done they are useless.

Now, if someone ported LibreOffice 3.3 - without the java junk - then I would get excited.

ivan
Title: Re: Desktop Widgets for eCS-OS2 ??
Post by: miturbide on 2011.08.20, 15:53:44
Kludgets and desktop widgets looks appealing to me. Specially when several eCS users put on their whishlist for this year that the GUI requires a little bit of "love".
Title: Re: Desktop Widgets for eCS-OS2 ??
Post by: melf on 2011.08.20, 19:41:10
Yep, I agree
A more up-to-date, modern, stylish or whatever word will suit, is needed to attract new users even though functionality and usability may outrun that in the long run.
Title: Re: Desktop Widgets for eCS-OS2 ??
Post by: Pete on 2011.08.21, 03:56:13
Hi All

I'm not going to disagree with either Martin or Melf: Yes, the eCS "GUI requires a little bit of "love"". something "more up-to-date, modern, stylish or whatever word will suit".

However, if you want to get the attention of potential new users through the interface then the eCS gui needs updating so that it can handle transparency and round corners - neither of which are built into OS/2 or eCS. I don't think putting a clutter of applets with those capabilities onto the desktop is really the way to go to get the attention of potential new users.

Regards

Pete




Title: Re: Desktop Widgets for eCS-OS2 ??
Post by: Joachim on 2011.08.23, 01:37:27
Quote from: Pete on 2011.08.19, 18:54:57
Hi All

I'm sure this will appeal to some people but it does not get me excited in any way.

Maybe I'm missing something here but it looks like a collection of applets cluttering up the desktop.


Regards

Pete

One thing you might have missed is that the kludget engine actually supports Mac OS X widgets. There are a *lot* of them and obviously not all of them are all that useful, but there are plenty around that are nice to have. Nothing critical or essential, but nice nonetheless.
See http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/ for an overview.

Regards,

Joachim
Title: Re: Desktop Widgets for eCS-OS2 ??
Post by: Pete on 2011.08.23, 17:07:14
Hi Joachim

No, I did not realise that this kludgets engine supports Mac OS X widgets - does not change my opinion anyway  :-)

Regards

Pete

Title: Re: Desktop Widgets for eCS-OS2 ??
Post by: Blonde Guy on 2011.08.23, 17:37:19
Quote from: Pete on 2011.08.21, 03:56:13

However, if you want to get the attention of potential new users through the interface then the eCS gui needs updating so that it can handle transparency and round corners - neither of which are built into OS/2 or eCS. I don't think putting a clutter of applets with those capabilities onto the desktop is really the way to go to get the attention of potential new users.


Having that capability in Qt is enough. It shouldn't be that hard to rewrite basic eCS applets under Qt. Older OS/2 apps look cool because they don't have a modern GUI.

The entire PC market is already closing in on being a niche market, and that includes MacOS and Windows. What would be even cooler that applets from MacOS, would be apps from Android and IOS.

Neil
Title: Re: Desktop Widgets for eCS-OS2 ??
Post by: ivan on 2011.08.23, 18:35:35
I have yet to find one of these 'cool' things that make actual work any easier.

Anyone wanting to attract new users to OS/2 should be concentrating on productivity items, not gadgets that do nothing other than look cool.  Something like LibreOffice 3.3 (without or with java), Sigil 0.4.0 - both of these for ePub production, in fact anything that brings the productivity of OS/2 up to date.

ivan
Title: Re: Desktop Widgets for eCS-OS2 ??
Post by: Ben on 2011.08.23, 20:25:15


It never surprises me that people will take time out of their busy day to sh*t on someone else's work, but will not raise a finger to offer support, credit, kind words, best wishes, or... get this... a well thought out idea that can enhance the subject! :o

Put plainly for the plain... it never surprises me how people will go out of their way to pick the bleeding scabs off of someone else's arse, but cannot muster up the miniscule, minimum and  offer up aid.

To me, any software that someone is providing at the cost of their own time and effort, that can offer some benefit to someone else, questionable or not, deserves at the least, neutrality where help or kind words are not available or simply... too much effort to type.

To Salvador the porter and to Martin the bearer of good news, thanks and keep up the good work!

I'm sure that some people will enjoy your work and I hope that it might lay the foundation for other easing other ports.


Title: Re: Desktop Widgets for eCS-OS2 ??
Post by: ivan on 2011.08.23, 22:03:56
Ben, if you are complaining that I said I would like some productivity apps rather than eye-candy - so be it, some of us do have to work for a living rather than play at the computer.

At the moment it is nearly 9 in the evening here and I'm typing this while I wait for a rather long print run to finish.

Nowhere did I pour scorn on anyone's work - if that is what they want to do then jolly good show, just don't expect me to get excited about it.  I also just happen to think there are more important things needed for OS/2 to keep it as a viable operating system for business.  I know IBM has given up on it but there are still a lot of places using OS/2, at least over here in Europe, and I don't want to see it fall by the wayside because of a lack of business applications.

You may find it strange but I do agree with your last two sentences.

ivan
Title: Re: Desktop Widgets for eCS-OS2 ??
Post by: Ben on 2011.08.24, 00:56:48

Ivan...

I can and do, write for myself. Rearranging my words to give them a new meaning that I had not thought about and did not write, is teli.

I spoke generically and not specifically; I am no coward and I have no problem pointing fingers and naming names. If I did not name names, then it was general and intentionally non-specific.

I suspect that you did not fully understand my message, (language?), or you could not have written the message that you did write in reply.

Having said all of that, if someone has voluntarily picked up a shoe, tried it on, and it fits, then what can one say and what can you expect?

:D

At any rate, if we agree on most of it then at least we are crossing paths and not crossing swords.  ;)

Cross swords? What's the point? (Pun intended.)

Title: Re: Desktop Widgets for eCS-OS2 ??
Post by: Pete on 2011.08.24, 01:38:31
Hi Ben

I'm not really sure that I know what you are bitching about.

Someone posted about this kludget engine and the applets/widgets that go with it.

I expressed my opinion and other people expressed theirs.

You seem to have posted a broadside against those who expressed a lack of interest/excitement about these kudgets - including me.

However, you are welcome to your opinion  :-)

I certainly wish the person porting kludgets every success - just don't have any interest in kludgets myself though.

I certainly do not think they will attract new users no matter how many widgets get ported. However, it is possible that I will get proved wrong  :-)


Regards

Pete

Title: Re: Desktop Widgets for eCS-OS2 ??
Post by: Ben on 2011.08.24, 03:25:09


"bitching"?

Do you know the meaning of the word? Do you know how to apply it appropriately? Or are you just "bitching", to use the word correctly.

If you don't, I could tell you clearly so that all confusion will be removed...

--

What I meant was clearly stated and was to the point.

If you don't like like it, tough.

Both you and Ivan, have stepped forward to prove my point by, (yet another), voluntarily, (that's the funny part), first hand demonstration, making my point for me.

Yet I did not point at either of you. It seems conclusive then, that guilt, is a great motivator!  :D

You take time to waste time by sh*tting  on things... repeatedly it seems... relishing in declination.

So you, Pete,  have one shoe, and Ivan has the other, both voluntarily picked up, (not thrown at you), in an act of self-identification and public announcement. What a pair!, (pun once again, intended).

Do you even know what that means?

It means if my words did not apply to you then guilt would not, could not, have made you step forward at take the words that I sent to... no one in particular, and turn it upon yourselves in an act of self-mutilation.

Don't you boys read over what you write before you hit the "Post" button? It seems not.

And if neither of you understand that, (and I doubt very much that you do), then I'll leave you to yourselves... which is a fitting place for you two to be.

And for chrissake, find something more useful... more productive, at which to spend your time typing... sheez!



Title: Re: Desktop Widgets for eCS-OS2 ??
Post by: Pete on 2011.08.24, 03:34:14
Hi Ben

To be honest it looks simply like you got out the wrong side of bed...

Regards

Pete
Title: Re: Desktop Widgets for eCS-OS2 ??
Post by: miturbide on 2011.08.24, 03:58:43
Guys, please keep it nice.
Your opinions are respected. We may share or not them, thats all.
Title: Re: Desktop Widgets for eCS-OS2 ??
Post by: miturbide on 2011.08.25, 18:28:58
I had been evaluating other desktop tools. One that got my attention was QT4 "Taskbar".

I still have some issues with the transparencies. I tested it on a VM and on real hardware with SNAP and sometimes the transparency locks, and the image at the background get stuck with the taskbar.

But, here it is a video testing Taskbar on the eCS inside a VM.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzPnCC8eC0I (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzPnCC8eC0I)
(Your eyes might hurt with my wallpaper)

(non- flash users, you may turn youtube HTML5 mode on (http://www.youtube.com/html5) , works for firefox 4 and 6)
Title: Re: Desktop Widgets for eCS-OS2 ??
Post by: sXwamp on 2011.08.25, 22:53:48
Quote from: miturbide on 2011.08.25, 18:28:58
I had been evaluating other desktop tools. One that got my attention was QT4 "Taskbar".

I still have some issues with the transparencies. I tested it on a VM and on real hardware with SNAP and sometimes the transparency locks, and the image at the background get stuck with the taskbar.

But, here it is a video testing Taskbar on the eCS inside a VM.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzPnCC8eC0I (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzPnCC8eC0I)
(Your eyes might hurt with my wallpaper)

(non- flash users, you may turn youtube HTML5 mode on (http://www.youtube.com/html5) , works for firefox 4 and 6)

I tried that out too,  but I had problems with some programs.  They would default to making the Taskbar directory their home directory ?!?!  Have you had anything like that had to you ???
Title: Re: Desktop Widgets for eCS-OS2 ??
Post by: miturbide on 2011.08.25, 23:53:28
Sorry sXwamp, I didn't understand you.

I had taskbar installed on C:\Programs\taskbar\
It created two files on the \home\default\ directory .taskbar_qt4_db and -taskbar_qt4_rc, both are xml text files with the shortcouts information inside the bar.

It is not perferct, I have some issues with the transparency, but works fine calling .exe programs.
Title: Re: Desktop Widgets for eCS-OS2 ??
Post by: sXwamp on 2011.08.26, 05:34:13
Quote from: miturbide on 2011.08.25, 23:53:28
Sorry sXwamp, I didn't understand you.

I had taskbar installed on C:\Programs\taskbar\
It created two files on the \home\default\ directory .taskbar_qt4_db and -taskbar_qt4_rc, both are xml text files with the shortcouts information inside the bar.

It is not perferct, I have some issues with the transparency, but works fine calling .exe programs.

Sorry about that, I added PMINews and FileFreedom to the taskbar.  When I start these programs from the taskbar these two programs recreates their INI and settings in the C:\Programs\taskbar\ directory.  It seems that any program that doesn't have a home directory set will default to C:\Programs\taskbar\ as their home directory.
Title: Re: Desktop Widgets for eCS-OS2 ??
Post by: miturbide on 2011.08.30, 23:12:45
sXwamp, yep.. I also have some issue with the working directory missing. Too bad this seems to be a limitation of the original software.

sXwamp, are the taskbar transparency working nice from your side?