unity-design team mailing list archive

[Apoorva Sharma <appi2012@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

NOTE: I tried to post this earlier, but I might not have been properly
subscribed, so this may or may not be a duplicate. -- Sorry, this is my
first time using a launchpad mailing list.

First of all, I really like the idea of window status indicators. It could
be an extremely useful feature. I also like the idea about being able to see
them in alt-tab. However, I would like to propose another location to put
the windicators, that could also solve some problems that the idea currently
had, IMO.

I've heard that in unity, maximizing the window would add the windicators to
the panel, thus saving space. However, this behavior could possibly lead to
some negative consequences. The one I feel is most important is it would add
clutter.

Lucid made several strides in cleaning up the panel - standardizing the
indicator behavior, and making the icons look similar. I feel that this
progress could be reversed if all windicators moved up to the panel with
maximization. One example of this problem would be the addition of a second
volume indicator if rhythmbox was maximized.

To get around these problems, I have come up with the following idea.

Applications could implement some standardized windicator options for their
windows. These could include: (This are listed in the fashion "Windicator
name (Statuses | Menu Options)")

   - Online status (Online, Offline, Connecting | Connect, Go offline)
   - Operation Progress (Working, perhaps showing a progressbar icon (ala
   battery icon) | a progressbar showing progress, cancel, pause/resume)
   - Volume (Volume level | Volume slider, Mute)
   - Security status (Secure, Insecure (locked/unlocked icons) | Lock,
   Unlock)
   - More (but these categories should be applicable to multiple
   applications)

If this is implemented, then all the windicators could have copies of them
already in the panel. For example, not only would rhythmbox have a volume
indicator on the window, its volume would be added to the sound menu, which
would display the system sound as well as application specific sound. Thus,
users could see what the status of individual, unmaximized windows is by
just looking at the window, without having to go to the panel, but if the
window takes up the whole screen (maximized) then going to the panel is
pretty much the same thing, so there would be no need for two areas of
indication.

Not only would this eliminate the need to move windicators to the panel when
maximizing windows, this would provide a centralized view of window statuses
in various areas. For example, if Bob wanted to check how his download was
going, instead of trying to find the download window, he could simply look
at the panel under the Operation Progress area, and see the download
progress listed underneath it.

This plan would significantly lower panel clutter as well as make the system
more tightly integrated, because it would consolidate window statuses in
panel applets.

One downside to this plan is that it limits possibilities for windicators,
but I feel that this is actually a good thing, because the user will know
what to expect from the top corner of a window, and applications couldn't
develop indicators which really aren't necessary to be indicated to the
user, or that don't apply to the whole window.

What do you think of this idea? Do you have any questions, comments?

Once again, sorry if this a duplicate