unity-design team mailing list archive

[Luke Benstead <kazade@xxxxxxxxx>]

On 15 April 2011 13:46, nick rundy <nrundy@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> I like the integrated titlebar. I've had zero issues/problems with it. It is
> a fantastic idea and design that improves the usability of the desktop.
>

Really?

I've got no issue with the merging the window controls and titlebar of
the top MAXIMIZED window. In fact I think it's a brilliant solution,
it's basically what Elementary tried with their Wingpanel but without
the problems inherent in their approach (e.g. small windows could get
lost behind it).

The problem is, the panel forms part of the top maximized window, it
actually *IS* part of it when you look it at, anyone who has ever used
a computer will look at that and think "Oh cool, the panel is now the
titlebar".

Except then we shoved in the concept of the global menu, and showing
the title of the focused window.

This is where the whole thing falls apart quite epically. Now visually
the panel is the titlebar of the maximized window, but the contents of
it are the focused window, which is likely not the same window. It's a
complete WTF? moment and I still think it is ridiculous and confusing.

The worst part of it is that in this situation, the maximized window
controls can't just be left where where they SHOULD be, where the user
EXPECTS them to be, because the panel has the title and menu of the
focused window and it'll be near impossible to tell which window would
be closed or resized by clicking them.

So instead of realizing they are painting themselves into a corner
with this, the designers just hid the window controls for the
maximized window. Now it's not possible to close the maximized window
without focusing it, despite the fact that you can see its titlebar. A
titlebar that's become Frankenstein's monster of parts from different
windows. It looks like the maximized window, it drags like the
maximized window, it has no window controls, the title is in the wrong
place, the title is of the focused window and the menu is of the
focused window. It is, a total abomination of a UI. It throws
consistency and logic away just to try to get everything to fit in a
single bar.

Now, tell me again that it improves the usability of the desktop.

Of course there are 4 obvious ways to fix this:

1. Scrap the global menu. Make the panel only display the title and
controls of the top maximized window
2. Scrap the titlebar merging. Put a global menu in the top bar, just like OSX
3. Merge the title, controls and menu of the maximized window, display
menus inside un-maximized windows
4. Remove the top bar totally, put the indicators elsewhere.

Luke.