unity-design team mailing list archive

[Adrian Maier <syraxes@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Thu, Feb 23, 2012 at 00:57, Mark Shuttleworth <mark@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> To launch what you know you have installed, use the Dash.
>
> To explore what may be installed, or may be available, use the Software
> Centre.

Wow ,  that's a shocking suggestion :  in order to see what's
available I need to start an application.
And this is supposed to be a progress compared to the old-style
desktop environments that can display a quick list of categories
without external software.


I'd really like to understand the rationale against the idea of having
some sort of applications browser that is usable like an old-style
Applications menu    :    see a list of categories and be able to see
the contents of a category WITHOUT clicking on anything.

Speaking of Software Center :   in order to see what's in every
category i need to click on the category in order to expand it .
And scroll up-down  , because when going to the next category  the
previous one remains expanded .  The Software Center is clearly not
the tool that I am hoping to see in Unity .


Please believe me that in gnome2 or xfce   I use the apps menu a lot .
  It's easy enough so that i rarely feel the need to create shortcuts
on a panel.   Every application has it's own well defined place inside
the menu.

Hmm...   perhaps this is what irritates me about searching/filtering
in the Dash :   when using these filters there is too much visual
noise (huge icons ,   see more 666 results  ,  apps available for
download )    and a particular application will never appear in the
same place on the screen .
The visual clutter gives me a constant feeling that I never know
what's available for use .


> Now, neither piece may yet be ideal, but we should improve the design of
> those pieces for their specific purposes, not try to make everything do
> everything.
>
> Mark
>
>
> On 22/02/12 15:29, Adrian Maier wrote:
>>
>> On Wed, Feb 22, 2012 at 17:19, nick rundy<nrundy@xxxxxxxxxxx>  wrote:
>>>
>>> The problem is having to "expand" options, like the "See more results"
>>> option. Too much stuff is being crammed into the dash.
>>>
>>> For example, on the Applications Lens, users should be able to use
>>> setting
>>> to configure it so that it ONLY shows the applications installed on the
>>> machine. And by default shows ALL results. This way the user doesn't have
>>> to
>>> click so many things to get an expanded view of Applications. Also the
>>> filters should not have to be expanded (which I believe is the case in
>>> 12.04)
>>>
>>> @Adrian:
>>>
>>> if the Applications Lens defaults to show all stuff by default, then
>>> Unity
>>> is just as convenient as old-GNOME.
>>>
>>> 1. tap SUPER+A
>>> 2. click GAMES
>>
>> That sounds like  just a workaround for solving a problem that didn't
>> exist before changing  something that used to work well enough  ...
>>
>> If there is a big list with all the applications ,   it implies
>> scrolling in order to find the category and then  finding the
>> application.  Too much visual noise for getting done a simple thing.
>>
>> I really mean that the right solution is to have a real classic menu /
>> list view .
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>>> Date: Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:39:36 +0200
>>>> From: syraxes@xxxxxxxxx
>>>> To: unity-design@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>> Subject: [Unity-design] Some impressions about the current status of
>>>> Unity
>>>> Hello people,
>>>>
>>>> Today I've been curious to see what is the current status of Unity
>>>> compared to the version shipped last year with 11.04.
>>>> So i've installed the Ubuntu daily beta 12.04 in a virtual machine .
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> The main thing I would like to comment about is : navigation around
>>>> the available applications .
>>>>
>>>> I have chosen a simple task : " let's see what games are installed
>>>> " . Steps :
>>>> - CLICK on "ubuntu button"
>>>> - looking for the word "categories" on screen. Couldn't find it.
>>>> Finally figured out that "Filter results" might help with my task
>>>> - CLICK on Filter Results
>>>> - CLICK on Games
>>>> - it displays : Aislerot Solitaire , Freecell Solitaire , Mahjongg ,
>>>> Mines
>>>> - hmm. Are there just 4 games installed ? apparently not - there
>>>> is a link "See 1 more result"
>>>> - CLICK on "see 1 more result".
>>>>
>>>> The next task "now let's see what development software is installed" .
>>>> Steps :
>>>> - the screen is still showing the previous screen with the games .
>>>> - CLICK on Developer in "filter results"
>>>> - nothing changes in the search results !
>>>> - CLICK on Games , to deselect
>>>> - the Developer software finally
>>>>
>>>> Result : after 6 clicks I have been able to see what games and what
>>>> development tools are installed by default in 12.04 beta .
>>>> Too big icons , on a normal display there will always be necessary
>>>> to click on "see more N results".
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Now let's see the steps needed to do the same tasks in Ubuntu 10.04 ,
>>>> gnome 2 :
>>>> - CLICK on "ubuntu button"
>>>> - move the mouse over "Games" . Read the list of applications.
>>>> - move the mouse over "Programming" . Read the list of applications.
>>>>
>>>> Sorry for ranting , but killing productivity for visual cuteness is
>>>> not progress ...
>>>> It should be possible to have a classical menu with applications
>>>> categories (maybe on right-click on the desktop).
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> My personal conclusion : the current Unity is just as disappointing
>>>> as last year.
>>>> Starting an application multiple times seems to be handled ok now
>>>> (useful particularly for terminals).
>>>> But there is still zero configurability (in settings ->  appearance
>>>> the user can only change the wallpaper and autohide the launcher .
>>>> Quite hilarious in a sad way ) .
>>>> No possibility to disable the global menu .
>>>> My main showstopper : no classic applications menu.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Cheers,
>>>> Adrian
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~unity-design
>>>> Post to : unity-design@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>> Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~unity-design
>>>> More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
>>
>>
>>
>



-- 
Adrian M