Re: When was /dev/gpmdata put into use??

[Carel Fellinger <cfelling@iae.nl>]

On Mon, Jan 08, 2001 at 11:33:24AM +0100, Jonathan Gift wrote:
> Martin Bialasinski wrote:
> > 
> > mc does use gpm. Unfortunately, the latest security build for r2 left
> > out gpm.
> > 
> > I will do a fixed upload to proposed-updates soon.
> 
> Shame. Some of us found it refreshing it have have to disable it on a
> command line before runing mc or get repeated error messages. For those
> of us not using gpm, mc works great now.

You could use an alias like "alias mc='mc -b'", couldn't you:)
The otherway around is impossible without recompilation. BUT...

I find it extremely confusing when the mouse all of a sudden starts to
provoke actions on the console.  In X it's clear from the visual
context when the mouse is in `cut&paste' mode or in `command' mode.
On the console this visual clue is missing, so it's a clear sign of
*bad* user-interface design to use it on the console in this double
mode!  Now you'll have to check for each command whether it puts the
mouse in command mode or not.  And you'll have to recheck this for
each version too.  Nasty things could happen if you missed a change
in behaviour, espescially with powerfull programs like mc!

So I think it's wise to have a Debian policy to *not* have the mouse
act in `command' mode on the console, unless specified otherwise by
the user.  I'm no Debian-developer, so I think I'm not entitled to
propose such a policy chance:(, besides, I don't know how to procede
with it:)

Nontheless, I think the Debian mc man should alter the behaviour and
the options for mc to reflect the above, like:

   # start mc with mouse control
   $ mc +b

   # start mc without mouse control
   $ mc
   # or, for backworth compatibility
   $ mc -b

-- 
groetjes, carel