unity-design team mailing list archive

[Luke Benstead <kazade@xxxxxxxxx>]

That was Beta 1's behaviour, try it :)

Maximize a window, open up say, the empathy contact list, now look at the panel.

Luke.

On 15 April 2011 15:27, nick rundy <nrundy@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Have there been changes since Beta 1? What you describe sounds awful!
>
> The design that was implemented in Beta 1 was excellent. Beta 1's
> implementation should be left alone. This is what I was commenting on in my
> response was Beta 1's design.
>
>> Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2011 14:42:03 +0100
>> Subject: Re: [Ayatana] Awesome critical review of Unity
>> From: kazade@xxxxxxxxx
>> To: nrundy@xxxxxxxxxxx
>> CC: mitja.pagon@xxxxxxxxxx; ayatana@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>
>> 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.
>