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Modeless windows

Another problem which is looming large in our use of CLIM 2.0 is the need for
modeless windows. Things such as CLIM:ACCEPTING-VALUES (with :OWN-WINDOW T)
are generally called "modal" in modern UI parlance, i.e. you are in the
mode of having to finish with them before you can do something else.

What we need are windows which can be popped up, serve as control inputs
for the application, and stay around on the screen while the user does
other things (such as perhaps popping up even more windows). Of course,
one issue will be having each window use a separate process so that they are
all active simultaneously. This seems fairly doable (although any advice
is very welcome!). The more fundmental problem, though, is how to get these
windows at all.

I found CLIM:OPEN-WINDOW-STREAM at the back of the Franz manual and it looks
like the right (only?) thing to use. As soon as I tried it, however, I found
that I had a window into which I could put gadgets but apparently could not
do any other output (such as with CLIM:DRAW-xxx).

Before proceeding down this line, I thought I would solicit the advice of this
list to see if this sounds like the right way to go and whether success seems
possible. The sentence documenting OPEN-WINDOW-STREAM from the Franz manual
which reads, "This function is not often used," makes me pretty uneasy.

Comments and advice, anyone?
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