Check for programs that are in full screen mode

[Peter Hansen]

Robin Munn wrote:
> 
> The one
> time I tried serious Windows programming I think I swore more often in a
> single month (usually at the poor quality of the documentation) than I
> normally do in an entire year. Usually along the lines of "What the
> <bleep> were they thinking?" I won't do that (attempt any serious
> programming in Windows) ever again if I have any choice in the matter. :-(

Many years ago, I switched from the Amiga to OS/2, for various decent
reasons.  I struggled mightily with the difficulties involved in doing
OS/2 development, but unfortunately never made it off the ground and
my results were limited and unsatisfactory.  More importantly, OS/2 
basically tanked and I was stuck with switching to Windows as the only
viable option (again, for various decent reasons).

After some period of considering the looming problem, I determined that
I was not remotely interested in attempting to learn the hideous API,
struggling with the abominable tools, and becoming frustrated with the 
pitiful level of reliability I could expect achieve on that platform.  
I swore never to program anything in the Windows API, and I'm very 
happy to say I survived the era where that felt almost necessary
(largely by working on embedded systems, or real-time DOS-based
systems which were much simpler and manageable).

Python, however, has made me a Windows programmer.  No wait, actually,
that label offends me... I mean it has let me program a wide variety
of things, *including* nice GUI programs, on Windows, but without ever 
(okay, rarely) having to feel like I'm actually dealing with the crap 
dished out of Redmond.  Even better, it has acted as a nice stepping 
stone from the world of M**soft to the world of Linux, without me 
feeling yet again like I'm abandoning a huge investment in learning.

Windows bad.  Python on Windows (or on anything else :-) good.

-and-that's-all-I-have-to-say-about-that-ly y'rs,
 Peter