Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 04:20:03 -0400
From: Christoph Hellwig <hch@infradead.org>
To: Arnaldo Carvalho de Melo <acme@infradead.org>
Cc: Christoph Hellwig <hch@infradead.org>, Ingo Molnar <mingo@elte.hu>,
        linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org, Frederic Weisbecker <fweisbec@gmail.com>,
        Mike Galbraith <efault@gmx.de>, Peter Zijlstra <peterz@infradead.org>,
        Stephane Eranian <eranian@google.com>
Subject: Re: [PATCH 1/2] perf tools: Add --tui and --stdio to choose the UI
Message-ID: <20100822082003.GB7365@infradead.org>
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On Sat, Aug 21, 2010 at 03:26:58PM -0300, Arnaldo Carvalho de Melo wrote:
> > Btw, am I the only one that doesn't find the next interface too helpful?
> > In general the line oriented interface seem to present the information
> > much better, and in the cases where it gets too complicated the newt
> 
> Much better how, exactly?

 - it uses the space available in a terminal window much more
   efficiently.  Output starts in row 0, column 0 and expands all the
   way that's needed.
 - it incluses a descruption of what the columns of output mean
 - it provides percentages for the individual callchains parts after
   branching out
 - in graph/fractal modes there are lines that show how the parts
   are connected, making it possible to read the output, unlinke
   the TUI mode where the "expanind" nodes are very hard to follow.
 - just running perf reports gets an overview of all callchains instead
   of having to expand dozens of things
 - the colour scheme is the normal shell one (light gray on black for
   me) instead of one hurting the eyes


> > interface doesn't really helper either.  A real gtk/qt interface with
> > a proper tree widget would seem like the more useful interface for that.
> 
> What would a gtk/qt interface buy us that is not present on the TUI
> right now?

Generally for tree/graph like data structures a real X GUI provides much
nicer rendering.  It'll allow to render the connected lines just as in
the line oriented interface, but in a nicer way using real thin lines
in a tree widget.  It'll also genereally allow better text placement
in the window compared to the single centered window in the newt
interface.   Also the GUI programs follow the common color scheme of the
rest of the desktop instead of hurting your eye.  In addition to that
scrollbars (horizontal / vertical) are a lot more intuitive in a typical
X GUI than in newt.

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