unity-design team mailing list archive

["kevinliao96@xxxxxxxxx" <kevinliao96@xxxxxxxxx>]

I'll sum it up in a few words. The removal of the minimize button is one of the most ridiculous things the Gnome3 team has done yet. 

While users have other ways to minimize the window, the "minimize" button still remains by far the most obvious. I think one of the potential pitfalls of Unity is thinking too deep about how WE are going to use it, but not thinking of what new Ubuntu users need. 


From: Marco Biscaro <marcobiscaro2112@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Apr 1, 2011 11:10 PM
Subject: Re: [Ayatana] Is the Minimize window-button really needed?
To: nick rundy <nrundy@xxxxxxxxxxx>
CC: ayatana@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


  
  


On Sex, 2011-04-01 at 09:31 -0400, nick rundy wrote:

    After all, the user can simply click the Launcher Icon to "minimize" that window, right? So the user isn't losing this capability.


When minimizing, you "say" to the window: get out my face, I need to do something else and do not want you disturbing. And this can be done with one click: the minimize button. It's always on window decoration, a place that is easy to find and access.

Imagine the following situation: a big screen, with launcher auto hiding. If I want to minimize a windows, all I have to do is click on minimize button. But, if using your proposed solution, I'll need:


    Move the cursor to top-left edge of screen
    Find the icon that represents the window I want to minimize
    Click on it


Beside this, how to lead with multiple windows of the same program, since there is just one launcher? Will the user need to focus the window and click on launcher icon? But if he clicks on the icon again before one window is minimized? What should happens?


    The window should restore?
    Another window of the same program should be shown?
    Expose should start?
    None of the above?


So, answering your question:

How do you guys feel about the idea of omitting the Minimize window-button?

I didn't like the idea. My vote is to keep it where it is now.