[Bf-funboard] U.I. design and dual monitors

[Nathan Allworth]

I've seen several of the propositions made, and I like them. One of the
largest turn offs of blender is the hard to look at interface. It was
rather hard for me to get used to, worse the first time I downloaded it
(directly from some ftp server) I thought it wasn't even a 3d app and
someone had just mirrored it thinking it was, never actually using the
app.

I was wrong and it took me another couple of tries before hanging on the
3rd time. Sad and foolish I know, but it was quite daunting to see al
those buttons, and the top ortho view of the camera and plane was even
more strange. With out the normal four pane view I was quite lost.

I think changing the view to have the camera, and a very basic light
setup as the default view (remember folks, it's easy to delete those for
yourself!) with a perspective view something like mine here:

http://reblended.com/www/dittohead/files/gkrellShoot_09-22-03_203805..png

My second idea really has to do with how the interface currently works.
My setup is on linux, over dual screens running nvidia twinview, which
makes X and the kernel think you are running one double-wide screen, and
allows complete video acceleration on both screens. This can be run in
windows this way too. This allows me to span blender over both monitors,
like this, with 3dview on screen one, and my buttons (with several
different screens in my b.blend file, like animation, uv map, sequencer,
modeler, etc.) on screen two:

http://reblended.com/www/dittohead/files/bScreen1.jpg

Right now I just right click on a seperater bar between each window and
move them as I like, so that they line up perfectly to work on my
resolution of 2560x1024. Will any new interface system work ok to span
across both monitors? If so it has to hint to the WM so that it can be
full screen at Xserver's--or your os'-- resolution and screen. Runngin
blender full screen is the only way it can span, I'm no sure how many
people use blender this way, so making it work this way is most likely
not a priority, but the door should be left as open as possible if this
kind of setup ever becomes popular.

Thanks for your time,
                    -Nathan Allworth //-dittohead-//