smp@sei.cmu.edu (Stan Przybylinski) (08/02/89)
A colleague of mine asked me if I had seen a description of motif in this space. I couldn't remember one and searching didn't yield anything either. Can anyone out there help? *---------------------------------------*-----------------------------------* *Stan Przybylinski (Prez-ba-lin-ski) *These views do not represent those * *Software Engineering Institute *of Carnegie Mellon, the SEI, the * *Carnegie Mellon University *DoD or possibly even the author. * *Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890 * * *smp@sei.cmu.edu (412) 268-6371 *All the fits, that's news to print.* *---------------------------------------*-----------------------------------*
mitch@zippy.osf.org (Mitch Trachtenberg) (08/03/89)
In article <3741@cn.sei.cmu.edu> smp@sei.cmu.edu (Stan Przybylinski) writes: >A colleague of mine asked me if I had seen a description of motif in this >space. I couldn't remember one and searching didn't yield anything either. Briefly, Motif is the user interface software offered by the Open Software Foundation. It consists of a window manager, widget set, User Interface Language, and Style Guide. The widget set is derived from the DEC and HP widget sets, and has the HP 3-d appearance. The style guide aims at making a user's transition from IBM's Presentation Manager (or Microsoft Windows) to Motif nearly transparent. The User Interface Language allows the widget hierarchies and (for example) string literals to be specified outside of an application's code, for easy change. For more information, you can contact OSF at (617) 621-8700 or email uec-comment@osf.org.
yost@esquire.UUCP (David A. Yost) (08/14/89)
In article <138@paperboy.OSF.ORG> mitch@zippy.osf.org (Mitch Trachtenberg) writes: > Briefly, Motif is the user interface software offered by >the Open Software Foundation. It consists of: > Window manager > Widget set > derived from the DEC and HP widget sets, and has the HP > 3-d appearance. > User Interface Language > allows the widget hierarchies and (for example) string > literals to be specified outside of an application's > code, for easy change. > Style Guide > aims at making a user's transition from IBM's > Presentation Manager (or Microsoft Windows) to Motif > nearly transparent. > > For more information, you can contact OSF at (617) 621-8700 >or email uec-comment@osf.org. What is the availability of UIL and Style Guide documents? We have ordered a ($1,000) Motif source license, and we were told that the documentation was available separately for $30, so we ordered it and have received it. What we got was The Motif Preliminary Functional Description, which appears to be a massive, practically illustration-free programmer's reference with no overview or tutorial and no higher-level discussion of user interface guidelines. The Window Manager section does, however, briefly claim adherence to the "CXI Behavior Guide". What is this, and where does one get it? A Motif user interface design guidelines document will be essential if there is to be a consistency of user interface across Motif applications, a goal more important than the mere availability of Motif's graphical goodies across UNIX platforms. I urge UNIX programmers and applications designers considering developing with Motif or Open Look to spend at least a week exploring the existing real world body of graphical interface software on the Macintosh, and to read the "Apple Human Interface Guidelines: The Apple Desktop Interface" (Addison-Wesley). --dave yost
graham@fuel.dec.com (kris graham) (08/15/89)
>What we got was The Motif Preliminary Functional >Description, which appears to be a massive, >practically illustration-free programmer's reference >with no overview or tutorial and no higher-level >discussion of user interface guidelines. I am using Motif and I am *very* happy with it. There is a Style Guide in the doc directory that comes with the various snapshots. The Style Guide contains information needed to design Motif/X applications, widgets, or window managers so that their appearance and behaviour is consistent with the standards set by OSF/Motif. I believe OSF does not see itself as a computer vendor.....they are more like "system engineers". Comparing what OSF mission is with that of vendors like Apple is not *my* idea of fair comparison. >I urge UNIX programmers and applications designers >considering developing with Motif or Open Look to >spend at least a week exploring the existing real >world body of graphical interface software on the >Macintosh, and to read the "Apple Human Interface Thanx for the "real world" advice ;-) -- Christopher Graham Digital Equipment Corp Ultrix Resource Center New York City (usual disclaimers go in here)