unity-design team mailing list archive

[Sense Hofstede <qense@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On 16 May 2010 14:31, Mark Shuttleworth <mark@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On 16/05/10 08:17, Akshat Jain wrote:
>
> On Mon, May 10, 2010 at 1:02 AM, Mark Shuttleworth <mark@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>
>> On 09/05/10 07:45, akshat jain wrote:
>> > But what will happen to Windicators when I minimize windows
>>
>> You minimise them too. They are specifically status associated with that
>> window - so you won't miss them.
>>
> But wouldn't it be better that that the windicators show up in the window
> list?
> So I won't have to open a minimized window to just see the windicators.like
> I have an Image in my mind with with Compiz Live Preview like popups with
> Windicators instead of Window Previews.
>
> Interesting... yes, one could put a rendition of the Windicators on the
> windows in the Alt-TAB preview. Cool idea.
>
> David, could you make a note of that, please, in your window management
> file?
>
> Mark
>
Making it (slightly) easier to access the windicators would provide
the application developers with a more suitable place to provide quick
access to application functionality. This would mean less developers
want to put their application in the notification area; so the right
top of the screen should be a bit less cluttered.

It is a good thing to make less applications use Application
Indicators; they should be used to notify the users or give them
access to things that don't have their own open window, like Network
Manager. There are currently a lot of applications that have an
Application Indicator, but don't really use it properly. Those
applications could be using windocators instead when they would be
easily accessible.

Leaves the question where to minimise applications to if you can't put
them in the tray anymore (which is a good thing, I've always found it
a very unintuitive place to hide applications). I think we could do
with providing nothing extra: the most important reason for providing
something as horrendous as 'minimise to tray' is because applications
take a lot of place in the currently used window list panel applet.
However, the Unity dock doesn't have this problem as the icons are
smaller, and most of them are already there. For most applications
keeping them running unhidden would only mean an extra triangle at the
dock next to an icon.

Regards,
-- 
Sense Hofstede
[ˈsɛn.sə ˈɦɔf.steː.də]