← Back to team overview

unity-design team mailing list archive

Re: Handling workspaces in Unity's launcher

 

Hello,

I will try to explain my point :D
In my mind the actual Unity design is a good design for a no-workspace use (Netbook or Tablet).

For a Desktop use we need a good workspace design :
- No show nothing if we have only one workspace
- Easy way to discover the functionality ( for new users )
- If we have more of one workspace we need to show the workspaces
- "One click" to switch between workspace
- easy way to re-organise applications in the different workspaces ( ex : via expose or directly in the dock )
- not necessary to have "one click" to switch between 2 application in 2 different workspaces.
- better if you have an automatic management about the workspace ( ex : void workspace + not focused by the user = close workspace )
- it's important to have a quick view of wich applications we have in each workspace. Or symbolic view to see it (example with the actual Gnome-panel). 

The workspace system it's a very good option, but only if we have an easy and quick way to use it.

I love my idea :p but i see one big problem :
- this solution use many vertical space in the screen. If we show the "favorites applications", the "direct access : nautilus + apps + trash" and 4 workspaces with, for each workspaces, 3 applications, we are completly out of the screen. In this case we loose a lot of usability.

Solutions :
- A "Compact view" of each workspaces
- Put "direct access links" in other part ( in the top panel for example )
- Reduce icon sizes.



Follow ups