https://forum.world.st/What-UI-direction-now-or-in-the-near-future-tp4807447p4807680.html
what you should do is use Spec for the UI. If you want to write your own list component you can do that in Morphic and integrate it in a Spec UI. All pointers to info about Spec were given by Sven on Feb 13th in one mail entitled ‘Learning Spec'. I will quote his first 3 pointers here for your convenience:
> Here is a guide to documentation about Spec, most recent first.
>
>
> There is an excellent presentation by Johan Fabry did during the last Pharo Days, 'Using Spec to Build a UI'. *MUST WATCH* (the video is not yet fully public, but soon will be, the link should work though):
>
>
http://youtu.be/OL23s9ZUIR0?list=PL4actYd6bfnz98ngrKALwwStl3C3odEKG>
> The slides are also not yet available, but soon will be (the talk is much better that the slides on their own).
>
>
> This draft chapter 'Spec: a framework for describing user interfaces' for an upcoming book:
>
>
https://ci.inria.fr/pharo-contribution/view/Books/job/PharoBookWorkInProgress/lastSuccessfulBuild/artifact/Spec/Spec.pier.html>
>
> Look in the image.
>
> Browse the hierarchy below AbstractWidgetModel in the category Spec-Core-Widgets in Pharo 4, look at the protocols called 'protocol' & 'protocol-events' mainly. Look for references to each class. Trace senders of methods until you arrive at examples. Study the examples, play with them, change them.
>
> The UI of most tools in Pharo is also implemented using Spec. Browse the hierarchy below ComposableModel to find them. (Komitter, Versionner, Critics, Metacello, the old Eye Inspectors, ..). Watch and learn.
> On Feb 25, 2015, at 00:02, Petr Fischer <
[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Hello!
>
> Suppose, that I need to write simple UI app + write my own UI list component (some special behaviour, can’t use default list UI component from Pharo) + I need perfect keyboard support (shortcuts, tab navigation + navigation by cursor keys in some windows), which also means, that I need perfect UI component “focus” support…
>
> Another priority: I do not want to learn things (in exhaustive detail) that expire in 2 years.
>
> Current status: I like Smalltalk (Pharo!), know basics of Morphic and I noticed some future as Athens and Bloc. I am trying to get out from “closed” app development and Apple “closed” technologies as ObjC/Swift/Cocoa and want to be little more productive and platform independent. Simple, snappy, attractive and smooth UI is the key for me/users.
>
> And now… which direction:
>
> 1) old Morphic (simple powerful work with old Morphs etc.)
>
> 2) Morphic + Athens drawing (maybe I don’t understand the connection)
>
> 3) Bloc
>
> Sub-questions:
>
> A) Is Bloc (complete Morphic rewrite, sigh) “one man show”? What about future, support, long-term issues? Look at Marina CMS framework, even used for Pharo website, but not maintained now...
>
> B) Is Bloc prepared with Retina displays in mind (perfect smooth fonts and graphics, scaling, more detailed images for retina etc.)?
>
> C) Is current keyboard + UI component focus support perfect or pain in...
>
> Isn’t a “bad time” for this decision (Pharo) now?
>
> Thanks very much for any brief hint, Petr Fischer
>
>
>
>
PLEIAD lab - Computer Science Department (DCC) - University of Chile