unity-design team mailing list archive

[Luke Benstead <kazade@xxxxxxxxx>]

On 19 December 2010 17:22, Mirek M. <mazelm@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Hi everyone,
> As my requests for having an option to put the Ubuntu button + launcher on
> the right have been received as insignificant feature requests, I'd like to
> explain how Ubuntu button + launcher actually make more sense and improve
> usability on the right.
>
> If they were on the right by default, then:
>
> *The whole left side of the screen would be devoted to the current
> application*
> Right now, you get some system-related commands on the right of the top
> panel, application-related commands on the left, and some more
> system-related commands on the far left.
> Moving the launcher and the Ubuntu button to the right would put all the
> system-related commands on the right and all the app-related commands on the
> left, so neither the launcher nor the Ubuntu button gets in the way when
> working with a single application.
>
> *A "hot corner" wouldn't get in the way*
> Keeping application commands separate from system commands is especially
> important to workflow when you have areas that activate on hover (e.g.
> Ubuntu button). It is extremely annoying and distracting when you
> accidentally mouse over a "hot corner"and have to wait a few seconds to get
> back to work. As the menu bar and window buttons are aligned left, and as
> most toolbars are also left-aligned, a hot corner on the right will be less
> likely to be accidentally triggered than a hot corner on the left.
>
> *The application would get the most focus*
> As most languages are read from left to right, our focus tends to start at
> the left side of the screen. If the goal of Unity is to maintain focus on a
> single task, it makes most sense to put the launcher somewhere where it
> doesn't distract from the application -- on the right.
>
> *"Tools" would be easier to target*
> Most image editors, raster or vector, have a "Tools" sidebar on the left,
> which is very easy to target when it is at the edge of the screen, but very
> hard to target when there's a launcher at the left edge of the screen.
>
> I hope that this is enough to at least consider moving the launcher to the
> right.
>
> Looking forward to follow-up comments,
> Mirek
>

I agree completely, unfortunately I think this is a decision that's already
been made :(

Luke.