Feature Request

[Ric]

--- Moritz Heiber <moe at lunar-linux.org> wrote:
> On Thu, 24 Jul 2003 07:54:09 -0700 (PDT)
> Ric <fhj52ads at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
> > Hi Jeff:
> > 
> > Would you be open to a little different suggestion?
> > 
> > These are nice ideas and I like them but the question is 'Should
> > xfdesktop be doing all this?'  
> > There are already quite a few programs that do these things and much,
> > much more so I do not see why xfdesktop must do them too.   Adding
> > these kinds of widgets would be okay but is a duplication of effort
> > and, as such, defeats the purpose of using existing tools to
> > accomplish tasks.
> > 
> > All that is really needed is for xfdesktop to allow another program to
> > set the(root window) background.  Very popular programs such as XV,
> > qiv, chbg, ee and others do all these things quite good and, as
> > mentioned, can do much more.  E.g., chbg is capable of a 'smart'
> > sizing of pics so you do not have to specify what size but if a
> > certain pic does not give a good hint, you can tell chbg to make it
> > scaled, centered, <whatever> just as you can in the XV and qiv
> > programs.  chbg can also _already_ manage multiple 'lists' which can
> > be rotated on a timed schedule with 2 choices of timing, <blah> and
> > each item in the list can be set to have whatever display orientation
> > and size that is desired.  I think qiv has some of the same options. 
> > BTW, those programs can already handle just about any kind of graphic
> > image. I would venture to say that every X system has at least one of
> > those installed.
> > 
> > So, IMO, it is duplication of effort to make xfdesktop do these
> > things.  All that is really needed is a single widget that says " Use
> > program:  " with a text entry box so that the user can enter a program
> > to use for displaying pics and to, of course, make  xfdesktop 
> > friendly enough to allow another program to set the background on the
> > _root_ window and allow it to be displayed, at least, locally.
> > 
> > I do not know how hard the latter would be but requests/questions like
> > yours are going to continue forever, or until xfdesktop is more
> > friendly to other aps that want root window for pic displays.  ( I
> > currently have to run xfdesktop(after the XFce 4 is loaded) to set the
> > workspace names and then kill it so that I can use chbg to manage the
> > background.  I, of course, lose the menus too so I also have to run
> > deskmenu with MenuMaker.  It's a "horrible hack" but the only way I
> > know to get the job done with the way xfdesktop is now (but I am open
> > to suggestions). )
> > 
> > BTW, gnome with sawfish allowed one to enter a program for the
> > background. I cannot recall at this time if sawfish was required or if
> > it was a gnome widget and do not know if the gome2 still allows it.  I
> > think KDE might allow that too BICBW since I never use the K de.  GDM
> > allows it too by modifying the startup files.  So, it is not a really
> > new idea for a widget -> should not be as hard to do.
> > 
> 
> So much thoughts about such a little feature being added? Scaling has
> been in xfdesktop from day one, now scaling should be provided for every
> state of backrounds not depending on wether its a list or just a single
> picture. Thats all.
> 
> Bye,
> 
> Moritz

No, that is not all.  The setting/changing/manipulation of the background can
be done much better by other programs that already exist.  The _fact_ is that
any effort put into that is duplication.  If Jasper is willing to do it, so be
it: they are his program(s) and he can do whatever he wants ...

=====
Have A Great Day!

Ric
***
Thought for today:
Software is like sex: it's better when it's free.

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