In comp.os.linux.advocacy, Mark Kent
<mark.kent@xxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote
on Thu, 20 Sep 2007 14:47:08 +0100
<s7aas4-339.ln1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:
> Mr. Doug Hoel <dhoel@xxxxxxxxxxx> espoused:
>>
>> "Mark Kent" <mark.kent@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:frn1s4-pa3.ln1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> graeme <www.rillion.net@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> espoused:
>>>> MS released a Vista Ultimate "Extra" called DreamScene - it loops a movie
>>>> for wallpaper.
>>>>
>>>> http://tinyurl.com/2lcvwm
>>>
>>> It must be frustrating working for Microsoft now, where really, all you
>>> get to do is copy what's already out there.
>>
>> You mean how this animated desktop that was just released (or possibly
>> released in 2002) is a cheap knock-off of Active Desktop which Microsoft
>> released in 1997.
>>
>> Yet another example of OSS "innovation" where they shamelessly copy existing
>> Microsoft technology. I just can't wait to see the next version of
>> open-office where OSS will "innovate" the ribbon bar that MS-Office 2007
>> has.
>>
>
> 1997? X-windows-system had a changeable root-window years before that.
> It must be frustrating working for Microsoft, where all you get to do is
> copy what's out there.
>
Erm...what exactly does this mean?
[1] Changing the root window background? xv was able to do that
in the late 80's. xsetroot was able to change the colors
since X's inception, presumably; the stipple pattern of
course is merely the default when X first fires up.
Programming this is almost trivial, though not all that
useful in modern environments -- mostly because Nautilus
and Konqueror cover things up.
[2] Putting something else on top of the root window,
as a borderless extension a la Nautilus? This doesn't
quite count but does do the job visually.
[3] Instructing X to change its root window to an application
specified one? I'm not aware of this one.
[4] Hijacking events meant for the root window? This is
done routinely by window managers, who can draw
things thereon should they wish to. Of course, so
can anyone else, if they take some care and no one
else gets in the way -- and only one application
can register for such things as Expose events,
if I'm not totally mistaken. Certainly I cannot
register for ButtonPress events if twm is running.
Nautilus spits out some mildly interesting diagnostics
relating to _NET_NUMBER_OF_DESKTOPS and _NET_WORKAREA
on an X server running no window manager at all.
Interestingly, I *can* register for ButtonPress if
Nautilus is running, but I get no events.
(Note: the application cannot depend on an Expose event
upon first invoke.)
--
#191, ewill3@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Linux. Because vaporware only goes so far.
--
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