unity-design team mailing list archive

[Mark Curtis <merkinman@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Inconsistency where some open in the new workspace others don't

You still didn't answer how one would manage windows if the launcher icon minimized it (I think that's probably better in a separate thread though)

From: jorge.ortega111@xxxxxxxxx
Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2011 16:16:00 +0100
Subject: Re: [Ayatana] Multiple virtual desktops in Unity
To: merkinman@xxxxxxxxxxx

There would need to be some user testing, but I don't think people just 
use one full-screened app at a time. This, coupled with your own 
admission of exceptions to be made for application would I think cause 
more confusion and inconsistency than the current implementation

It doesn't have to be a maximized apps and don't really see the inconsistency: I just see a very clean screen. I think is a reasonable solution to the problem of clutter and multitasking. 







On the other note, if (presumably left clicking an icon in ther 
launcher) minimizes it, how would you propose managing multiple windows 
of the same application?

This is my pet hate with Unity: A solution of a problem shouldn't create other previously nonexistent problem (unable to minimize from icons). As for managing multiple windows there are different options but none should involve renouncing to well tested usability.



Think of the upper-right of your screen: soundmenu and all the other applets. You click and bring the thing, click again and hide it. 

On 14 April 2011 14:15, Mark Curtis <merkinman@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:









There would need to be some user testing, but I don't think people just use one full-screened app at a time. This, coupled with your own admission of exceptions to be made for application would I think cause more confusion and inconsistency than the current implementation.






On the other note, if (presumably left clicking an icon in ther launcher) minimizes it, how would you propose managing multiple windows of the same application?

From: jorge.ortega111@xxxxxxxxx




Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2011 10:18:03 +0100
To: ayatana@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Ayatana] Multiple virtual desktops in Unity


I find Unity approach to multiple virtual desktops extremely half-hearted: it just provides the option to used them and an icon which you can't remove from the bar.

Unity could use virtual desktop in a transparent way:







1-Don't show icon if only a desktop is being used.
2-Apps. should open in a new virtual desktop each. (by default)
3-When more than one app. is open then the icon to switch desktops appears in the bar (it has to be very prominent)






4-Exceptions should be made, probably for configuration tools. For instance, when you open pulseaudio sound preferences this window should appear in the active dektop. The understanding is you are just checking on something or carrying out a very transitory task and close the app straight away. A case could be made for multiple isntances of the file manger as well: most of the time we are transferring files between windows.






5-The transitions between desktops (apps. in fact) should be very smooth and not sight-tiring.

In short: 
current behaviour: apps open in the same space and the user has to put them in different deskops.
suggested behaviour: apps open in their own space and the user has to put put them manually in the same desktops if they want to do it.







Which such a behaviour the concept of virtual desktops becomes transparent: people would use them without actually realizing, you don't decide to use the feature or not, the feature is at the core of how your computer works.The way to do this doesn't have to be the traditional zoom out/drag and drop/zoon in: drag an icon onto other icon to move apps to the same space/desktop and gain focus on this desktop immediately.







In this context minimizing seems to loose any sense: why do you wan to minimize an app that is not sharing its space with anything else?

The above proposal has far reaching consecuences but would go a very long way towards simplifying how people use their computers.








Failing to implement the above then please, get rid of the desktop-switcher icon and  bring back the possibility to minimize windows from the launcher.

 
Jorge
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