unity-design team mailing list archive

[Andrew Laignel <a.laignel@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 16/08/2010 16:50, "Dylan McCall" <dylanmccall@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 5:16 AM, Andrew Laignel <a.laignel@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
>> It seems to me, UI wise anyway, that there is a movement away from having a
>> traditional program menu.  The most recent browsers (FF, Chrome, IE) have
>> buried it and in applications such as media players and basic photo managers
>> it's also getting sidelined as it tends to be more of a junkstore than a
>> valid UI tool.
> 
> Chrome's menu is NOT buried. It is presented in the toolbar, in the
> same space as the address bar, back and Refresh button.

They have entirely dispensed with the whole concept and instead have two
buttons that give a list of options.  This is a far cry from the original
'we must have a file menu' approach that everyone has always taken.  If it's
not buried it's instead been taken out back and shot.  It's dead, Jim.

> Okay, away from my rant and back to the original post :) The global
> menu is being used specifically in Unity to save some vertical space
> where it is in short supply. A window is maximized by default, then
> the title bar and menu is stuck in the panel. On a larger desktop,
> that would not make sense.

That's my point though, how is adding a UI element that appears to be
getting phased out and does not even exist in the most common use-case
(browser) 'saving space'?  Assuming they are using Chrome, how would the
unified menu save space?  If anything you'd lose space.

It seems to me the issue is everyone is so attached to the top bar because
it has the clock and some icons in it nobody can bring themselves just to
scrap the whole thing.  Judging by the Unity screenshots they are using a
side dock that looks similar to OSX - why not just put the icons and clock
somewhere there?

I honestly think the UI concept of a 'File Menu' is dead, or at least is in
an advanced stage of zombification and building a UI around it being and
behaving a certain way is a mistake.  It reminds me somewhat of Ericsson
mobile phones with a chunky antenna as their signature design feature when
Nokia developed the internal aerial.