Distribution: COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
Project: Applications
Issue: 0.07
Author(s): Steve Cormie (edited by DWalker)
Date: 18-Sep-97
Last Issue: 0.06
0.01 SMC 19-Mar-96 First created. 0.02 SMC 20-Mar-96 Updated with input from Owen Love. 0.03 SMC 21-Mar-96 Apps must also run full screen on monitors. 0.04 SMC 25-Mar-96 Added image of desktop. 0.05 SMC 27-Mar-96 Minor changes. 0.06 SMC 03-Apr-96 Major changes for new UI.
There are no outstanding issues.
This document specifies the base application set for the Network Computer Model 1 ROM. This is a high level document, it is not intended that this specification should be used as a reference for the software development required for each of these applications (this is covered in a separate specification for each application).
Italicised text is used where issues are still to be decided or where contents are liable to change.
It has been widely recognised that current direct manipulation user interfaces on modern desktop machines (like Windows, MacOS and RISC OS) have dramatically improved the usabilty of computers. However, it also clear that is not going to be possible to replicate these environments on Network Computers because it is inappropriate to display a large number of open windows on a television set.
The aim of this document is to specify a user interface for Network Computers that allows applications/documents to occupy the full screen but at the same time make use of the features that have become common place in current desktop environments.
The Network Computer Model 1 ROM contains a number of base applications which provide the computer with its basic functionality. In general, these applications and indeed any application which is intended to run on the NC must comply with the NC Application Requirements Specification. This describes the features which an NC application must have along with some guidelines on how to provide other features. The main points of the specification are that applications must run full screen on both television and monitor displays (even these will typically be only 640x480) but with anti-twittering when connected to a television display.
The base applications set for the Network Computer is as follows:
The NC Model 1 ROM contains the NC Browser application. This is actually used in a special desktop mode to provide a configurable desktop front-end which is constructed using HTML. Pages which are used as part of the front-end can force the browser to work in its restricted desktop mode where the toolbar and common browser functionality eg. hotlist, history list, are not available. If an HTML page does not contain the flag to enter desktop mode then the browser works in its normal browsing mode with toolbar etc. This allows the front-end to provide a mechanism for venturing out onto the Web. All applications provided for the NC must be launched using the HTML front-end.
When the NC boots its final action is to run the browser application and point it at the user log on page. When the user has logged on the STBWeb$Welcome page is displayed. This system variable should point to the root page of the HTML front-end and is where the browser returns when it exits browsing mode.
This application is fully specified in the NC Web Browser Software Functional Specification.
The word processor is based on the RISC OS application named EasiWriter written by Icon Technology Ltd, although the user interface is much simplified. In addition to the general requirements for an NC application it is modified to read and write documents in Word 7 format. A more detailed specification of this application can be found in the NC Word Processor Software Functional Specification.
The NC Model 1 ROM contains a filer application which provides facilities for browsing and managing files held on the server. This is not an application in its own right but is instead called upon by other applications eg. the word processor, to perform filing operations.
The filer can be started in a load mode or a save mode depending on the operation required. The dialogue box which the application opens contains a writable icon, a list of files, a Load/Save button and a File management button (used to enter management mode where files can be renamed and deleted).
A more detailed specification of this application and the API for controlling it can be found in the NC Filer Software Functional Specification.
The NC Model 1 ROM contains a simple configuration application which provides facilities for configuring hardware peripherals like printers. This application is specified in the NC Configuration Software Functional Specification.
The NC Model 1 ROM contains a global clipboard application which is not visible to the user in any way. This is only necessary because the Support Group Note 240 - "The RISC OS Selection Model and Clipboard" specifies a protocol where the data placed on the "clipboard" is retained by the application that put it there. This means that the data is lost if the application quits. The clipboard application provides a global clipboard which uses the specified protocol to provide a persistent global clipboard.
A more detailed specification of this application can be found in the NC Clipboard Software Functional Specification.
The NC Model 1 ROM does not contain an email or news browsing application. Instead, this function is provided by the ISP such that email and news is presented to the user using HTML. This is described in detail in the NC Email Software Functional Specification.
There is no programmer interface.
This development is dependent on work by third parties:
The sources for all applications will form part of the RISC OS build tree for the NC Model 1 ROM.
None planned at present.