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[Bug 812669] Re: Unity's application menu bar accessibility problems

 

As part of the big bug review for 16.04 LTS I have tested this on 15.10
and the bug is still there. I think this is a feature request rather
than a bug.

Point 4 no longer seems relevant, since a context menu now appears.

** Changed in: unity (Ubuntu)
       Status: Confirmed => Opinion

** Changed in: unity
       Status: Confirmed => Opinion

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/812669

Title:
  Unity's application menu bar accessibility problems

Status in Unity:
  Opinion
Status in unity package in Ubuntu:
  Opinion

Bug description:
  Description:	Ubuntu 11.04
  Release:	11.04

  I was ambiguous about using the bug tracker to report this issue. But
  since it is really an problem that doesn't seem to have been addressed
  yet and the post about it on Ubuntu Brainstorm predate 11.04's launch,
  I've decided to report it as a bug.

  In Unity the menu bar and title bar of applications are located at the
  same place and the menu bar is shown only on mouse over.

  Besides breaking some applications (I had problems with Gvim and
  VirtualBox), this cause serious UX issues .

  1. Hiding window controls when the window is inactive and maximized
  force the user to focus the window before being able to click one of
  the three title bar buttons (close, maximize, toggle) or access the
  application's menu bar. The problem is further annoying when working
  extensively with multiple monitors. I am aware that this is a side
  effect of the way Unity works with title bars/menu bars, but it is an
  accessibility issue nevertheless.

  2. The same holds true for window titles, the user have to focus a
  maximized window to see it's title. Again, when working with multiple
  monitors the problem is only more evident. A maximized window in a
  inactive monitor has only a grey title bar that convey no information
  about the maximized window. This problem could be more easily solved
  than the first with more subtle rules for maximized window (ex: if
  maximized and raised, always show the title bar).

  3. But above all, hiding the window menu bar cause a serious UX
  problem. As I couldn’t put it better:

  > Mystery meat navigation (also known as MMN) is a disparaging term coined in 1998 by author and web designer Vincent Flanders to describe a visually attractive but concurrently inefficient, confusing, or abstruse user interface, usually one that is Internet-based[1]. Such interfaces lack a user-centered design, emphasizing aesthetic appearance, white space, and the concealment of relevant information over basic practicality and functionality.
  > 
  > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mystery_meat_navigation

  4. When the window is not maximized it's possible access a context
  menu when right clicking its title bar. However this context menu is
  not accessible when the window is maximized (nothing happens when the
  pseudo task/menu bar is right clicked. This breaks user expectations.

  My suggestion to solve issues 1, 2, 3and probably 4 is the following:
  introduce an option to have the menu/title bar either merged (like it
  is out of the box) or separated (old fashion).

  And if you're kind enough, you could bind a keyboard shortcut to
  toggle between the two modes.

  Brainstorm thread: http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/27346/

  Thanks.

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.04
  Package: xorg 1:7.6+4ubuntu3.1
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.38-10.46-generic 2.6.38.7
  Uname: Linux 2.6.38-10-generic x86_64
  NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
  .proc.driver.nvidia.gpus.0: Error: [Errno 21] Is a directory: '/proc/driver/nvidia/gpus/0'
  .proc.driver.nvidia.registry: Binary: ""
  .proc.driver.nvidia.version:
   NVRM version: NVIDIA UNIX x86_64 Kernel Module  270.41.06  Mon Apr 18 14:53:56 PDT 2011
   GCC version:  gcc version 4.5.2 (Ubuntu/Linaro 4.5.2-8ubuntu4)
  Architecture: amd64
  CompizPlugins: [core,bailer,detection,composite,opengl,compiztoolbox,decor,snap,shift,resize,mousepoll,vpswitch,grid,gnomecompat,regex,place,session,move,imgpng,animation,expo,wall,unitymtgrabhandles,workarounds,ezoom,staticswitcher,fade,scale,unityshell]
  CompositorRunning: compiz
  Date: Mon Jul 18 21:40:50 2011
  DistUpgraded: Log time: 2011-06-26 01:26:01.979163
  DistroCodename: natty
  DistroVariant: ubuntu
  EcryptfsInUse: Yes
  GraphicsCard:
   nVidia Corporation G94 [GeForce 9600 GT] [10de:0622] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
     Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:82c2]
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.04 "Lucid Lynx" - Beta amd64 (20100406.1)
  JockeyStatus:
   xorg:nvidia_173 - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, Disabled, Not in use)
   xorg:nvidia_current - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, Enabled, Not in use)
  MachineType: System manufacturer System Product Name
  ProcEnviron:
   LANGUAGE=en_CA:en
   PATH=(custom, user)
   LANG=en_CA.UTF-8
   SHELL=/bin/bash
  ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-10-generic root=UUID=26bbb565-cc9c-429a-a523-ff1ab1d767f1 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
  Renderer: Unknown
  SourcePackage: xorg
  Symptom: display
  UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to natty on 2011-06-26 (22 days ago)
  dmi.bios.date: 03/11/2009
  dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
  dmi.bios.version: 0606
  dmi.board.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
  dmi.board.name: P5KPL-CM
  dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
  dmi.board.version: x.xx
  dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset-1234567890
  dmi.chassis.type: 3
  dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacture
  dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
  dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr0606:bd03/11/2009:svnSystemmanufacturer:pnSystemProductName:pvrSystemVersion:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rnP5KPL-CM:rvrx.xx:cvnChassisManufacture:ct3:cvrChassisVersion:
  dmi.product.name: System Product Name
  dmi.product.version: System Version
  dmi.sys.vendor: System manufacturer
  version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.4+bzr20110606-0ubuntu1~natty2
  version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs 20090808ubuntu13
  version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.23-1ubuntu6
  version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 7.10.2-0ubuntu2
  version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
  version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 7.10.2-0ubuntu2
  version.nvidia-graphics-drivers: nvidia-graphics-drivers N/A
  version.xserver-xorg: xserver-xorg 1:7.6+4ubuntu3.1
  version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.14.0-0ubuntu4.1
  version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.14.0-4ubuntu7.1
  version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20110107+b795ca6e-0ubuntu7

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