Application Launcher

I've just been browsing some of this, especially the bits about docks, app
launchers and window managers.

For what it's worth:
    I've just written a really tiny app launcher in Python that looks &
operates a bit like AfterStep's Wharf. It has relatively small (22x22
pixels..) buttons and minimises to a 22x22 button in one corner of the
screen. At the moment I'm having trouble because ion keeps hiding it behind
other windows... (grrr..)
    To manage existing application windows, I think a similar approach would
work well, but by default with a main "menu" of only the most recent, say,
six applications. A button would then cause the thing to open out a full
application menu. My thinking here is that in general, you want to switch
quickly between a few apps, but when you have a load of them, more space to
display distinguishing detail is useful (e.g. To distinguish pyditor
/etc/passwd vs pyditor /etc/pcmcia/wireless.opts)
    This set of window manager buttons can be tucked away as part of the
launcher menu so that only one corner of the screen is eaten by a button.
    If only Python had bindings to the X window manager functions... ;)

    Cheers,

James "Wez" Weatherall
Received on Sat May 26 2001 - 17:04:07 EDT