unity-design team mailing list archive

[Conscious User <conscioususer@xxxxxxx>]

> I think we need to focus a bit more on the fundamental reasons why we
> use workspaces. I for one often switch to a new workspace because i
> don't want to see any of what i was working on before. I don't want
> tabs from before, apps from before, any single thing, just a clean,
> open, new desktop. The only other way i use it is to have a second
> reference, so that I can have two docs side by side and a third on the
> next workspace.

> So, if my goal is to have a brand new clean open space, why clutter it
> up with the tabs and such?

Because, as was pointed out before, exaggerating on the "clearing up"
impression have the undesirable side effect of looking like you
*closed* everything instead of just putting it aside. Visually, the
tab metaphor make very clear that something has been *added*, not
destroyed.

> And if these tabs in the mockups (which do look nice, by the way)
> operate in the way describe, what possible benefit is there to not
> just minimizing apps? If every open app on every open workspace is on
> something that is basically the taskbar to begin with (just with
> workspace grouping added) then its actually more cluttered, more
> duplicated feature, and quite frankly, not helpful yet.

I kinda agree. I initially liked Remco's and Luke's mockups, but
after thinking a while I think filling each tab with app icons
increase clutter rather than reducing.

> I'd like to re-bring up my idea for a set of tabs along the top that
> are not workspace with open apps contained, but rather app layers for
> assignable programs. we have one widget layer which many use for
> widgets or tomboy, but what if we design a stackable layer system?
> have the first tab be for standard desktop/workspace environment. the
> workspace switcher can remain as is until a more suitable option is
> worked out. then, instead of rolling over to a new desktop, we click
> to activate the tab on top for messenging apps, and up pops of
> 'widget' type layer. This would de-saturate or fade the original
> workspace, and would bring up whatever you have open in this layer,
> like email, IM, gwibber, which would be interacted with in the
> standard way. both panels would remain as-is, but the taskbar would
> show what is open and active on the 'widget' messenger layer. A second
> layer can have a file browser, or whatever. The user can open anything
> he or she feels on these different layers, but they are not
> restricted. If i want to pin an IM conversation to my primary
> workspace instead of the IM layer, thats fine, I can open it the
> standard way, or perhaps click and drag it to the top of the screen,
> to the original workspace tab.

> This, i think, would better situate the app specific use of
> workspaces, much better then a series of full workspaces. I for one
> keep one down and to the left with email always open. But this would
> work better for keeping things from getting cluttered. Email would be
> in the second tab, available on every single workspace, just the same
> as music or any other custom stuff. This would add a whole new
> dimension of workspace use, so rather then just a series of never
> ending desktops, we could get some always quickly available, task
> specific (but specific to the user, not assigned) workspace layers.

Yes, I was thinking more or less on those lines as well. But instead
of layers, the metaphor I had in mind was "pages of a book."