OSNews: http://www.osnews.com/story/22230/Gimp_2_8_To_Get_Single_Window_Mode Exploring the Future of Computing en-us Copyright 2001-2013, David Adams adam+nospam@osnews.com Tue, 18 Jun 2013 22:58:42 GMT http://www.osnews.com/images/osnews.gif OSNews.com http://www.osnews.com Finally http://www.osnews.com/thread?386106 http://www.osnews.com/thread?386106 Well, it took them long enough, but it looks promising.

I'll give it another go when it's out and see how it stands against the mighty Photoshop now. ;) Thu, 24 Sep 2009 23:22:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (drstorm) Comments RE: Finally http://www.osnews.com/thread?386112 http://www.osnews.com/thread?386112 Yep I agree with you. I am way more interested in Gimp now. ;) Thu, 24 Sep 2009 23:36:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (motang) Comments I'm an idiot. http://www.osnews.com/thread?386114 http://www.osnews.com/thread?386114 I get Gimp confused with Gnome -- Still. I started reading and imagining a window system that would automatically put all windows created by a single application in a single master window.

Sorta like expose crossed with a tiling window manager. But, I think I sort of want to try something like that. Maybe in the mythical future where I have an infinite amount of spare time, I'll try doing something like that. Thu, 24 Sep 2009 23:39:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Bill Shooter of Bul) Comments Uh http://www.osnews.com/thread?386117 http://www.osnews.com/thread?386117 If I remember correctly, early versions of the gimp had single window mode. Thu, 24 Sep 2009 23:43:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Blind) Comments RE: I'm an idiot. http://www.osnews.com/thread?386122 http://www.osnews.com/thread?386122 Kind of like Matlab where you can arrange sub-windows within the main window or undock them to become their own separate window like so:

http://www.mathworks.com/products/matlab/images/matlabdesktop_lg.jp...

Much better than all the windows of Gimp or the Mac version of Stata.Edited 2009-09-25 00:00 UTC Thu, 24 Sep 2009 23:58:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (jimbofluffy) Comments Comment by FishB8 http://www.osnews.com/thread?386126 http://www.osnews.com/thread?386126 I'm willing to bet that the primary motivating factor behind implementing MDI in GIMP has nothing to do with usability, and everything to do with getting the boobs on slashdot to shutup. Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:14:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (FishB8) Comments RE: Uh http://www.osnews.com/thread?386128 http://www.osnews.com/thread?386128 And about that same time photoshop had multiple windows... ;) Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:18:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (FishB8) Comments "Improvements"? http://www.osnews.com/thread?386135 http://www.osnews.com/thread?386135 I'm not sure I'd call MDI an improvement. Ever. For anything. My window manager is smarter than whatever they will write. At least they're not taking the usable mode away... Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:32:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Roguelazer) Comments RE: "Improvements"? http://www.osnews.com/thread?386183 http://www.osnews.com/thread?386183 Your window manager probably but most people complaining are running Windows, and there I understand that managing groups of windows can be a PITA in serious need of the MDI workaround. Fri, 25 Sep 2009 08:57:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (ichi) Comments RE: "Improvements"? http://www.osnews.com/thread?386193 http://www.osnews.com/thread?386193 What web browser are you using again? Not one of those awful MDI ones I presume? Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:56:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Bending Unit) Comments Comment by Bending Unit http://www.osnews.com/thread?386194 http://www.osnews.com/thread?386194 A welcome change. Keeping track of all those palette windows is a bitch, blending in with all other windows and the wall paper. Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:58:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Bending Unit) Comments Absolutely love it http://www.osnews.com/thread?386197 http://www.osnews.com/thread?386197 I have never liked the multiple windows that GIMP uses as of now; it's confusing and hassle to manage them, especially if you're using it on Windows or some stranger WM. So, a single-window mode is very much welcome in my book. But then those additions they're adding, the polaroid and image parade...Darn, I love those ideas! It finally feels like GIMP is taking some innovative steps of its own instead of copying from others, and they're doing it well!

Thanks to all GIMP developers for your hard work...now work some more and bring those features to me! ;) Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:35:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (WereCatf) Comments Heh http://www.osnews.com/thread?386199 http://www.osnews.com/thread?386199 Isn't it about time that Photoshop had a single-window mode in all versions? Because it sure-as-heckfire don't have one on the Mac! Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:49:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (3rdalbum) Comments RE: Finally http://www.osnews.com/thread?386215 http://www.osnews.com/thread?386215 It's been a long time coming. GimpShop never worked well for me.

Now if they'll change the dumb name, get rid of the gummy feel when drawing on the canvas, and get a full 16-bit workflow and color management they'll be head-to-head with PaintShopPro and Corel PhotoPaint. Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:10:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (richmassena) Comments Progress backwards http://www.osnews.com/thread?386217 http://www.osnews.com/thread?386217 Why can't they provide a good old 'Windows in Windows' type of MDI interface and give the user the choice which one to switch on?

And please do not tell me what those 'usability experts' say. Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:49:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (ThomasFuhringer) Comments Gimp user http://www.osnews.com/thread?386220 http://www.osnews.com/thread?386220 I have been using Gimp on daily basis for about 4 years now. I do basic image editing such as cropping, resizing, enhancing etc. I cannot wait for 2.8! I hope that just look and feel (i.e. single mode) is not the only new feature in 2.8. I would love to see batch processing of a large number of images, some good vector graphics (e.g. making arrows in a similar way to Inkscape) or some sort of grouping layers.Edited 2009-09-25 13:58 UTC Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:58:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Marcin) Comments RE[2]: Finally http://www.osnews.com/thread?386234 http://www.osnews.com/thread?386234 Agreed. Especially about the dumb name. I just hate acronyms, especially recursive ones. GIMP is indirectly recursive:

GIMP - GNU Image Manipulation Program

GNU Image Manipulation Program - GNU is Not UNIX Image Manipulation Program

GNU is Not UNIX Image Manipulation Program - GNU is Not UNIX is Not UNIX Image Manipulation Program

And so on...

How about thinking up some name that's actually creative and descriptive. GIMP sounds like a placeholder.
The descriptive part is actually important. It would not be any better to call it "Gimpex" or something. The name must suggest function! Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:38:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (drstorm) Comments RE[2]: I'm an idiot. http://www.osnews.com/thread?386238 http://www.osnews.com/thread?386238 No, that's per application. I'm thinking of that for every application ( not every application instance), with no application support required ( all handled by the windows manager ). Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:03:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Bill Shooter of Bul) Comments RE: "Improvements"? http://www.osnews.com/thread?386307 http://www.osnews.com/thread?386307 LOL. I have tried to like GIMP without the MDI, and no matter which window manager I use it all goes to crap when I have multiple desktops. Inevitably I will end up with my tools on one desktop and the image on the other....very annoying. Or, one little toolbar gets moved to another desktop and I can't find it without clicking around. Fri, 25 Sep 2009 19:44:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (chimby) Comments RE: "Improvements"? http://www.osnews.com/thread?386431 http://www.osnews.com/thread?386431
I'm not sure I'd call MDI an improvement. Ever. For anything. My window manager is smarter than whatever they will write. At least they're not taking the usable mode away...


Single Window Mode will be an option. You can still use multiple windows if you like. Sat, 26 Sep 2009 13:28:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (abraxas) Comments RE[2]: "Improvements"? http://www.osnews.com/thread?386790 http://www.osnews.com/thread?386790 You're doing it wrong, or just lying.

This has never, ever been an issue for me. Multiple desktops? I have 32 of them. I gimp on one, just one, and never have a problem like you describe.

I also use Enlightenment, which is a good window manager. On Windows the gimp is a pain because Windows sucks for managing windows (ironic!) But, even there I would prefer not to have an MDI... especially one where I cannot work on two or three images side by side! Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:12:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (sorpigal) Comments Six steps backward http://www.osnews.com/thread?386791 http://www.osnews.com/thread?386791 Okay, I get that a lot of people like the idea of a single window interface. It's not actually good, but I understand that people don't know this. Whatever! Give them their choice, I'm cool with that.

However....

Why would you ever want a single window mode which denies you the ability to work back and forth on two or three images? The article makes it sound confusing and difficult to achieve, technically. Well, it might be confusing (I doubt it) but how can it possibly be a technical challenge? We have this right now in the Gimp!

If you make me tab/switch back and forth between images you will seriously harm my workflow. I know some people only work on one image at a time, but why remove the option for those of us who need it?

And what about defaults? Please tell me that the GIMP will continue to default to its traditional interface. This UI is inherently superior and if it is relegated to an afterthought I and many others will suffer. Let those fools who cry when they don't have a gray box painted behind their tool panes flip the option on! Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:18:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (sorpigal) Comments RE[3]: Finally http://www.osnews.com/thread?386792 http://www.osnews.com/thread?386792
The descriptive part is actually important. It would not be any better to call it "Gimpex" or something. The name must suggest function!


How does "Gimpex" suggest function? If you want to suggest function, why don't you call it... Image Manipulator? How about the GNU Image Manipulator? Which is pretty much what we call it. How is that different from Adobe PhotoShop? Except, of course, that "Photo Shop" makes it sound like I am going to take my prints there to be developed and does not suggest that I can alter them.

And, in fact, the name does not need to suggest the function. "Excel" certainly does not say "Spreadsheet", for example. Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:22:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (sorpigal) Comments