Re: [Ayatana] How to handle multi-window launcher icons

I asked, for examples, where the behaviour suggested was relevant. I have only be given one (Firefox) which I guess wasn't the best one. My personal opinion is that we can't design for everyone or for every case, for this reason it is important to test and weight all the issues. As it is today, the Launcher works also as switcher and (I guess) the users which don't know how to open new instances from within the application, might not use alt-tab to switch applications, how would they switch then?

On Thu, Nov 4, 2010 at 12:19 PM, Bret Kuhns <bkuhns@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

In this specific example, a solution could be that Mozilla makes the buttons to open a new window, or open a new tab, more visible. It's important to draw a line from the responsabilities of the software and the operating system, and of course weight these corner cases.

Isn't it the job of the OS to spawn processes when the user requests? Suppose I wanted to run two terminals simultaneously. With what you're saying, I'd have to create the second by performing an action in the first terminal. Would a terminal's procedure for creating a new window be different from Firefox's new window functionality? Asking applications to start new processes of itself is asking for fragmentation and user confusion. The OS should be the one providing a consistent way of launching processes, whether you need one or twelve of them.

Bret Kuhns

On Thu, Nov 4, 2010 at 3:41 AM, Christian Giordano <christian.giordano@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Hi David,

This is an interesting corner case, thanks for pointing it out, could you tell me some applications which are meant to be working in this way? I guess in this case we could handle it via quick menu, just a thought.

For example, Firefox. My mom used to have a panel launcher that she would use to open new windows (she's old school and not much of a tab person), and ironically she can't use the new launcher for that.

In this specific example, a solution could be that Mozilla makes the buttons to open a new window, or open a new tab, more visible. It's important to draw a line from the responsabilities of the software and the operating system, and of course weight these corner cases.

Is this the problem you are trying to solve with your "window spread"?

Well, I think I brought up several cases where having the spread was handier, but that would be the main problem to solve, yes. That was my favourite feature from the task list, and the launcher seems to have lost it.

I think it's something worth investigating. Thanks for share it with us.

Best, chr

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