unity-design team mailing list archive

[Mark Shuttleworth <mark@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On 19/12/10 17:22, Mirek M. wrote:
> *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.

One idea we try to preserve is the "hierarchy of information", which
says that (in left-to-right languages) organising structure should be on
the left, and content on the right. In this case, the launcher is very
much "organising structure".

> *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.

At the moment, the corner is overly sensitive because the launcher shows
up for a few seconds if you go over the Ubuntu button. But in fact, it
should actually require you to hit the corner. Fixing that should reduce
the impact of this feeling.


> *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.

Well, when you are focused on an app, the launcher should be invisible.
Balancing focus and awareness is a key design goal for us in Unity,
hence the intellihiding approach. There are other things we can do to
take this even further, but they'll have to wait for 11.10.


> *"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.

Again, the app should generally get all the real estate, including the
left edge, solving this issue (i.e. giving Fitt's Law friendly edges to
the app).

> I hope that this is enough to at least consider moving the launcher to
> the right.

Good points, well argued, but I'm afraid the balance remains in favour
of the left edge for now.

Mark

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