Deskset - problems/bugs/grips/thoughts

[John A. Murphy]

Well we got our copy of desk set which includes open look version of
several tools including 

binder     - used for binding icons to files under filemgr 
mailtool   - very similar to old version, but old version seems easier to use
calctool   - same as found on SUG tapes
mp         - postscript pretty printer
sunview    - open look version complete with pin up menus
clock      - also with digital mode
perfmeter  - allows remote observation
cm         - decent calendar program
printtool  - untested
cmdtool    - open look version
tapetool   - untested
shelltool  - open look version
textedit   - untested, never used the old version either
filemgr    - turn you sun into a mac, mac like interface for filesystem, 
             not bad
snapshot   - good for taking pictures of various parts of your screen
iconedit   - a little better than current, I believe you can create various
	     sized icons

BUGS/GRIPES:  These may have something to do with our version or
installation so I would appreciate confirmation of these if others
experience the same.

File manager : print filter - tries to print 3 times each time adding the
               filter path to the invocation
             : when specifying an alternate editor to textedit you have to 
               specify shelltool first as it shelltool vi.  If you only 
               specify vi it will start a vi process that will run silently in
               the background.  We are also getting inconsistent setups 
               regarding number of rows in the shelltool
	     : it seems impossible to bind shell's to the shell icon
	       and/or I'm having a heck of a time trying to get it to bind
	       to certain types of files via their magic numbers (ie 68020).
Printtool    : core dumps
Mailtool     : The you have new unread mail icon goes back to the no mail icon
               after 30 seconds
Perfmeter    : It is almost impossible to quit the perfmeter without 
	       iconifying first
Clock        : Comes up in icon mode regardless of -Wi option supplied or not
Cmdtool      : still doesn't allow file completion
Calctool     : Function keys are on same button as numbers, as if they need a 
               shift key to activate them, but this is misleading.  Why aren't
               the numbers grouped together?  As a matter of fact the number
               buttons are smaller than the function buttons.  If they layout
	       is kept, why isn't it made so you have to hit a shift key
	       to enable the functions that are on the same key as a number?

No postscript previewer.  I haven't been able to get sunwrite to import
postscript files, even ones that its written out.

I find the packages more useful than I thought I would.  I prefer the open
look interface.  The package is buggy and annoying because of these bugs.
Maybe in a release or two....

John A. Murphy                          jam at philabs.philips.com
345 Scarborough Road
Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510    One one-trillionith of a surprise: picaboo
(914)945-6216