- Reusability:
All components are objects shared by any number of applications. All MAI applications use the same objects: The html-browser, the text-editor, the CAD
zoom-window, the project editor, the console, the telnet client, etc. Of course, applications
can create their own mai-clients from scratch or inherit existing objects. This produces
applications with stable, verified objects with a minimum programming effort.
- Resizability:
All areas can be resized by just dragging their separators using the mouse. The application coherently manages the minimum and, if
applicable, maximum sizes of the areas to set its own min/max sizes.
- Intuitive mouse operation:
All areas have title bars, title bars have buttons, buttons have hint labels and behave as expected.
- Maximize with a double click: As usual in Windows, double-clicking on an area's title,
the area maximizes to the whole application's area. Double-clicking on a maximized area, the whole
layout restores its previous sizes.
- Mitosis: When it makes sense, areas can be divided
by a single mouse click. At the moment of the mitosis (= division) both objects are identical. After that, they have independent
lives. New areas can be: independent views of the same 3D scene, new games (different threads of the
same match up to the move at which the area was divided), different views of the same document, different files, etc.
- Floating: All areas can float and become independent windows. It is configurable if
those windows act as application windows (show up at the system's <alt>-<tab> menu) or are always
in front of a single main application window.
- Multiple monitor support:
When floating, MAI windows can be dragged to any monitor. When the layout is
saved, coordinates of all docked or floating windows are saved.
- Windows coherence:
Everything is as "windowslike" as it can be. Buttons are similar, colors (depending on the application) can follow the user's desktop
preferences. Keyboard operation is similar. <Ctrl>-<Tab> switches the focus between the areas as in
multiple document interface (MDI) windows. Even the acronym MAI is coherent with MDI.
- Undoing and
keyboard operation: <Alt>-<Z> pops up the MAI control menu. All
functions available through the buttons are also available at this menu. Undoing the last MAI operation is also possible.
- Accesibility and customization: Accessibility is guaranteed by keyboard operation, user defined
separator width and color configuration. Entire layouts can be saved and restored together
with project files.
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