FrameMaker 9 User Interface Video

[Chris Despopoulos]

I just watched this video -- thanks for the reference.  I'll say a couple of 
things:

1) I like some of the new features, especially the Insets browser.  This is good 
stuff.
2) It's also good that some of the previously modal dialogs are modeless.
3) I still maintain that the notion of working with floating document windows is 

     a work style that's not optimal for the new GUI.  So that means a serious 
change of habits 

     for the old-timers like yours truly.  
4) It's even more important for the API to expose full control over windows, 
panels, and pods.  

     When the API was first added to Maker, everybody toyed with the idea of 
using Maker documents 

     as an unlimited GUI framework.  If you can draw it and add a marker, you 
can have it.  Note that 

     the old versions use Maker as a dialog box editor.  (Not sure what's up 
with that for Maker 9).  

     Well, if anybody did use documents for a GUI (palettes or otherwise), then 
the new approach 

     makes that very difficult.  Either I've missed it, or the FDK doesn't 
expose this stuff.  


I will give it a try to use the new GUI as it's intended.  Maybe then I'll see 
workarounds for my FDK problems.

And thanks RJ for the video.  It gave me some insights.

cud