Fast User Switching = UNIX Workspaces???
just a question for those of you who have dealt with this in the past, but i was once told about "workspaces" in UNIX that allowed to to switch seemlessly between different environments for work. so i could have a video editing "workspace," then a web/email workspace, etc. and then just swap back and forth as necessary...
couldn't you use multiple users now in the same way? for instance, couldn't i set up multiple "users" such as "rok - video", "rok - internet", "rok - business admin", and then, as i needed to, just switch in between user profiles on the fly?
any thoughts on this, or am i totally out to lunch on this one?
couldn't you use multiple users now in the same way? for instance, couldn't i set up multiple "users" such as "rok - video", "rok - internet", "rok - business admin", and then, as i needed to, just switch in between user profiles on the fly?
any thoughts on this, or am i totally out to lunch on this one?
Comments
Problem: you'd have different (separate) home directories.
besides, if you want access to all your files, just slap em into a shared directory.
Check out CodeTek's $30 Virtual Desktop for multiple workspaces.
Doesn't seem like Apple will adding this feature into the OS for a while -- it's for advanced power users.
Originally posted by JBL
I am hoping that Apple will get some feedback about this. It seems like a natural extention of the fast switching concept to allow for switching between workspaces.
their answer will be Exposé.
their rational: UNIX workspaces are used as a way to solve the multiple window management problem.
Originally posted by pesi
their answer will be Exposé.
their rational: UNIX workspaces are used as a way to solve the multiple window management problem.
I don't think Expose can replace workspaces. And with the already present mechanism of user switch (horizontal cube rotation), implementing workspace switch could be almost trivial and cool at the same time (e.g. vertical cube rotation).
You can set what home directory a user has, so they can all have the same one. Each user would need to be part of a group that owned the home directory. Not too bad. And only takes a bit of fiddling of the passwd file ( will that work in OSX ? ).
The big issues are to do with inter desktop communication.
If you get an instant message in another user ( or an email, or an app needs your help ) how do you get notified?
Multiple desktops dont work really well untill there is a frame work for apps to know about them. BeOS did it really well, because apps were desktop aware. They could find out what desktop they were on, and make alerts appear there, or on another one.
X windows fails to do desktops well for this exact reason. There is no frame work for being desktop aware.
Its a real shame. I think one reason that apple dont do MD's is because all existing apps are unaware, and it makes them clumsy to operate in an MD environment.
Originally posted by Hobbes
Doesn't seem like Apple will adding this feature into the OS for a while -- it's for advanced power users.
I wish people would stop saying this is for power users.
Must go. Time to check desktop 5 for emails.
Originally posted by PB
I don't think Expose can replace workspaces. And with the already present mechanism of user switch (horizontal cube rotation), implementing workspace switch could be almost trivial and cool at the same time (e.g. vertical cube rotation).
Why? workspaces *are* a not-so-amazing solution to a window management problem.
Do you work at multiple desks? Do you eat at multiple tables?
Give me an example or a reason to use workspaces and explain why Exposé couldn't be used in that situation?
I think the Exposé keyboard+mouse+gesture combo solution to an aging window management problem is why I'll buy Panther.
Originally posted by Scott
I work in a four desk office and if the other 3 people were not there I'd fill them all with my stuff.
And be 3 times more inefficient? Great to hear that people would rather take the time to move from one desk to another than have everything nicely-organized on one desk.
Originally posted by kim kap sol
And be 3 times more inefficient? Great to hear that people would rather take the time to move from one desk to another than have everything nicely-organized on one desk.
For once I agree with Scott. My desk has three separate workspaces, and it is great. I also use Codetek's Virtual Desktop witha dual monitor system. Expose is great, but it doesn't offer all of the advantages of multiple workspaces.
It is simple and convenient! In my mind it not only makes the OS perfect for many home and office environments in a very elegant way, but it puts me back to going to that upper right hand icon that I used to use for application switching all of the time. That nostalgia aside, I love the Keynote-like transition. I also think it takes care of one of the biggest desires for the AI "prosumer" crowd - an effective implementation of virtual desktops. I don't really know much about them, but I can see giving myself all sorts of individualised "users" for myself, complete with different backgrounds and docks full of specific apps and files. This takes care of much of the anti-dock whining that has been going on!!! This might just be my favorite, most time-saving change in the whole OS!
It may not be as robust as CodeTek, but it IS virtual desktops for the rest of us. So now you can seperate all of your Work, Games, WebSurfing stuff (and yes, even all of your Porn with password protection) in a simple and elegant way.