Basic Windows compatibility for migrants and embedding

1

I have to use Haiku for some months so that post is painted with my own pain.
Excuse me for my meager language ability. Some words may be used incorrectly.

As you know, most of users is still use MS Windows. So, basic compatibility of user interface with Windows will provide new migrants, more popularity and some evil (money) too.

1) Critical fixes (minimal new requires):
This part - is critical for windows migrants. It’s no any way to make OS usable except to make controls simple or basic for user.
- add windows hotkeys or hotkey mode.
Cut (ctrl+x), copy (ctrl+c), paste(ctrl+v), cancel(ctrl+z), repeat (ctrl+y).
Perfection: 2 or 3 slot clipboard (ctrl+c, ctrl+d, ctrl+e - cut; ctrl+v, f, r - paste) - great for textworks!
- add windows-like window control buttons: minimize/roll/expand|return (right/middle/left|any mouse key); alternate “close” button.
Not very necessary, but fine for migration.
- add “close” button menu.
This is menu for normal close button. Opens by click-and-hold or alt+space. Contains “close”, “expand”, “minimize”, “roll”, “resize”(probably), “move”. Not very necessary, but fine for migration.
- add language selection and locale icon.
Strongly required, it opens no-engrish internets for Haiku. Change language from “keymap” is not very fine.
- add “My computer” directory. Name is optional.
This is necessary for Windows migrants due to *NIX directory tree in Haiku. It must display “drive_partitions (MS-DOS shortcuts)/folders_and_files” (hda1(c:), hdb1(d:)).
MS-DOS shortcuts (c:, d:) are familiar and comfortable for most of users and some soft.
Network shortcuts is unnecessary for 80% of basic users, so that is no need for now.

After that 5 steps you can make first release. All other actual for R1A3 parts is fine for office/basic PC.

2) Appstore and software.
You know, this OS is not very popular. So, something like Appstore or tracker for Haiku-related software will be very fine.
- Software add-ons site.
Necessary for find new programs, games, etc. Probably torrent tracker with DRM files (optionally for each program).
- Installation in 2+ click: file->open->yes/no/set->use.
"User can not think - only use. Sad, but this is a rule."©
- Installation from online.
Unnecessary, I think. But nice.
- *.chm Help and tutorial.
That is copy of the tutorial from WIN 3.11. I think that was best of all.
- Firefloor.
Small program, which controls: who had launched program, where that program are. From that two points it cut virus potential, auto-updaters and so on.

Release of this part will make OS totally self-supported and will use all power of third-party services and support. DRM option will allow both kind of copyright and opensource projects.

3) Best of alternatives (long time target)
"User can not think - only use. Sad, but this is a rule."© When user start a program - it must do not think how does it is works. Only OS with this line of service is… Windows up to XP. At 6.x it slowly migrates to the *NIX way of work.
- Dynamic Virtual Machine Layer (DVML).
This is new and unique OS part: when OS starts program DVML try to identify that program: *.pif file to lookup last good requirements or reading header of the file to understand: is it Haiku, Linux, MacOS, DOS or Windows soft? Which version of kernel and drivers is necessary? It selects automatically how it shall be started, points of data transmission and etc. When program started it must be fully connected with OS. User must just run and use preferred soft and games.
When window closes DVML asks user “Do %program_name% ran fine? Y/N/Later/Manual”. “Yes” writes actual pif settings, “No” adds actual settings to exceptions, “Later” save settings as “adequate”, “Manual” opens manual pif setup; 3 adequate == yes. Main goal - use any OS module by any OS module (*NIX printer drivers by windows program for Haiku browser).

Third part is hardest and longest, but it make Haiku as universal OS for any user/soft. So it will be a great alternative for migrants.
I see it for 2015 year or later.

I hope, this OS will be fine and easy for use.
We, MS-Windows users, need any workable alternative better then bugged linux or DRMed Android.

2

Language selection is done at install time… what is so hard about that? Were it pre installed it would be in the right language anyhow.

Sigh… just let the developers do their thing they are doing fine and alot of the annoying things can already be changed like keymaps for the keys so they act more like windows or linux.

Compatibility with other operating systems? Not really worth it and it WOULD be buggy.

Alot of the stuff you have mentioned is being worked on or just isn’t going to happen… I suggest reading through the forum and mailing lists lots and lots of discussions about this stuff that have already been resolved.

3
  • add windows hotkeys or hotkey mode.
    Cut (ctrl+x), copy (ctrl+c), paste(ctrl+v), cancel(ctrl+z), repeat (ctrl+y).

Why? Alt-key does all the above(and is a better choice), and if you checked your preferences you would see that you can change it already by yourself.

Perfection: 2 or 3 slot clipboards.

Check out Haiku-ware.

  • add windows-like window control buttons: minimize/roll/expand|return (right/middle/left|any mouse key); alternate “close” button.
    Not very necessary, but fine for migration.
  • add “close” button menu.
    This is menu for normal close button. Opens by click-and-hold or alt+space. Contains “close”, “expand”, “minimize”, “roll”, “resize”(probably), “move”. Not very necessary, but fine for migration.

All of the above seem to be features to get around the limitations of Windows, why does Haiku need them? And by the way alt-space works but on my Windows 7 the click on close button function does not work as default. You are asking for features in Windows that even Microsoft has dumped.

  • add language selection and locale icon.
    Look at preferences some more.
  • add “My computer” directory. Name is optional.
    This is necessary for Windows migrants due to *NIX directory tree in Haiku. It must display “drive_partitions (MS-DOS shortcuts)/folders_and_files” (hda1(c:), hdb1(d:)).
    MS-DOS shortcuts (c:, d:) are familiar and comfortable for most of users and some soft.
    Network shortcuts is unnecessary for 80% of basic users, so that is no need for now.

Garbage: ‘My Computer’ was not in the early Windows OSes, and it does not exist in Windows 7 or 8.
What you are saying is that Windows users can’t use Windows! :slight_smile:
And why would Haiku which clearly IS NOT Windows want to model a version of Windows that is not even being developed any-more? Access to ALL volumes already exists in tracker, please learn your OS before commenting.

After that 5 steps you can make first release. All other actual for R1A3 parts is fine for office/basic PC.

  1. Appstore and software.
    Haikuware.

You know, this OS is not very popular.
So what? Show me a definition of an OS that requires it to be popular.

  • Installation in 2+ click: file->open->yes/no/set->use.
    Which is bas-icily what it takes now when not using junky ported Windows or Linux software. Click once on the download icon in Bebits/Haikuware. Drag zip file to folder IF downloads are not already set-up to go there. Double-click to install. If that is too hard to do then stop using computers.

"User can not think - only use. Sad, but this is a rule."©
And why do the Haiku developers need users who are so dumb?

And all the rest are again features to handle the garbage that Windows hands out to it’s users.

Your problem is you don’t want a new OS, you want an improved Windows. For that you need to talk to Windows developers.

4

Look there are all sorts of improvements that Haiku needs.

But copying features of other OSes where those features are designed to get around the limits of said OSes rather than are true improvements to how Haiku operates is not the answer, it would be just a waste of time and effort.

Notice most of your requests are to help people not to think and/or learn how to use a new OS but to blindly do what they have always done in the past. Which means they will still do the same dumb things that caused them problems on Windows, and to continue to blame the OS rather than their poor choices of operation.

If people want a better OS, they should realize that they are users of it’s features and if they want to get the real power of a new OS or even an old one they will have to start thinking about what they want done and how they will do it.