On 02/02/2011 09:57 PM, Aaron J. Seigo wrote:
>> --- About taskmanager:
>>
>> (1) use only icons (this already happens when taskbar is full):
>> - icon size on the panel should be shortcut size (>launcher size,
>> =Kickoff)
>
> i'm not interested in making it a clone of windows7 :)
I'm not interested neither, but we have to find a way to improve the
current paradigm, not sure how but we have to do it.
I'm not going to talk about usability because I don't know anything on
the subject but I can see a couple of points that are according to the
experiences I had I think they are as true as the snow is white :p
1-Vertical launch menu is way more complex than the "dock" concept.
In any kind of Vertical launch menu (Windows* kde3, Kickoff, Lancelot)
you have a longer number of step to do before you find whatever you want
to find, or whatever you want to launch. For example right now if I want
to execute KGet I have to: Click Icon-->Application->Internet->Scroll
down (yes, this is another step), Click on KGet.
Also, the typically this vertical menus doesn't invite you naturally to
create a set of Favorite applications since these menus are typically
hidden all the time (I don't know anybody that makes a good use of
Kickoff Favorite... do you?)
Another point is that as far as I know any of our vertical menus offer
a way to see all the applications we have. Typically the "Docks" have
some way of doing it so you can add applications to them.
They usually show something like this:
http://wstaw.org/m/2011/02/03/plasma-desktopK17945.jpg
To finish, I'm not saying that I want a Dock, and I'm not saying that we
need to emulate what Windows 7 does, what I'm saying is that Vertical
Launch Menus are flawed and if we want to move to the next step we
should not use them by default.
2-Taskbar clutters A LOT the panel, and label invites you to read.
In the last discussion about "taskbar Icons only" one of the arguments
by Aaron was: Labels add useful information, and I agree but to get that
information you have to read, and no matter how fast you can do it image
recognition is always faster once you know the relationship between
Image<-->meaning. As an example, we have traffic signs, instead of
having a signal such as "Be careful, there is an school around" what you
have a drawing of a boy with a backpack.
No matter what I do, my panel is always full of stuff without a simple
empty space, and that makes me forget momentarily what I was going to
do. Is like when you go to get something from you desktop (real desktop)
and once you're in front of it you forget what you were going to get
because the desktop is full of stuff.
http://wstaw.org/m/2011/02/03/plasma-desktopP17945.jpg
Again, I'm not saying Let's move to Windows7/Dock paradigm! I'm just
exposing my concerns and experiences.
To finish, if we don't come up with something different I don't see any
problem to copy/emulate/get inspired/ in any other existing solution, no
matter if it is a Dock (Unity dock works quite well, so it is possible
after all) or a Tasbar on steroids.
Be in peace :D
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