Q1: What is Fresco?

A1: Fresco is an object-oriented application programming interface (API)
    for graphical user interfaces, covering functionality in Xlib and Xt,
    and adding structured graphics and application embedding.  The Fresco
    specification and sample implementation are under development
    by the X Consortium as an open, multi-vendor standard.  Fresco
    offers a broad range of functionality, including low-level display and
    window management, structured graphics hierarchies, and UI widgets
    such as buttons and editors.  An application may choose to use part
    of Fresco within another environment, such as using Fresco
    structured graphics capabilities from within Xt, or an application
    may choose to use Fresco solely.

Q2: What new functionality will Fresco provide?

A2: The most important advance is support for graphical embedding.
    By that, we mean that Fresco will provide a single, simple model
    of graphical objects that supports composition of both graphical
    objects as in a drawing editor (circle, polygon, etc.) and
    application-level editors as in OLE (word processor, spreadsheet, etc.).
    Also, Fresco uses a standard object model (OMG CORBA) that allows
    for transparent distribution of user interface components,
    which is especially useful for application embedding.
    Finally, Fresco graphics is screen resolution-independent, meaning
    objects can appear the same on different kinds of displays or
    when printed.

Q3: When will Fresco be available?

A3: Fresco 1.0 will be part of X11R6.  1.0 will use OMG IDL
    to specify objects, though the sample implementation
    probably will not support distribution.  Fresco 1.0
    will minimally provide structured graphics and the ability
    to use Fresco objects within a Xt/Motif widget.  As we get closer
    to the release, it will become clearer what the sample implementation
    will include.

Q4: What GUI(s) will Fresco provide?

A4: The Fresco specification, like Xt, does not include any concrete
    widgets.  The 1.0 sample implementation will include some widgets
    as examples.

Q5: What is the relationship between Fresco and the Motif library (Xm)?

A5: Fresco offers some functionality not found in Motif.  Because
    some of this functionality covers intrinsic capabilities
    (especially graphical embedding and the CORBA object model),
    it is possible to implement native Fresco widgets with
    the Motif GUI.  However, we expect in the foreseeable future
    that many applications will wish to use both Fresco and Motif
    objects.  Thus, an important aspect of the Fresco design
    is the ability to interoperate with Xt/Motif widgets.

Q6: What is the relationship between Fresco and InterViews?

A6: Fresco draws many ideas from InterViews, especially in the areas
    of structured graphics, resolution-independence, and attribute
    management.  There are many conceptual similarities between
    InterViews and Fresco, but also a number of differences.
    No attempt has been made to make Fresco compatible in any
    sense with InterViews, though an InterViews distribution could
    provide a compatibility layer based on Fresco.  Such a distribution
    would, strictly speaking, not be part of the X Consortium
    Fresco effort.

Q7: What platforms will Fresco run on, especially non-Unix and non-X?

A7: Fresco should run on any X platform, which can include non-Unix
    platforms such as Mac or NT if one has Xlib.  Fresco explicitly
    supports but does not require multithreading based on POSIX threads.
    The Fresco specification contains no dependencies on X,
    so while the 1.0 sample implementation uses X in the future
    sample or vendor-supplied implementations may also support
    other windowing platforms.

Q8: How does one become more involved in the development of Fresco?

A8: Anyone interested in Fresco may contact the working group
    chair, Mark Linton, linton@sgi.com.  People affiliated with
    an X Consortium member also should participate on the
    Fresco working group mailing list.  Send a message to
    fresco-request@x.org to be added.

Q9: How does one find out more about CORBA?

A9: One can use anonymous ftp to omg.org to access some information
    about OMG.  Here is a quote from the "CORBA" file in pub on omg.org:

	The Common Object Request Broker Architecture Specification
	(CORBA) document is available from OMG for a small fee to
	non-members of the OMG, to help recover the cost of
	developing and printing the specification.  To order
	the CORBA document or any other OMG public document,
	please see the publication order form below, or
	contact documents@omg.org.