unity-design team mailing list archive

[Haggai Eran <haggai.eran@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

I thought I'd through in my 2 cents on this matter. I like the idea of
using Super-something, and in particular Super-space for the HUD. I use
multiple keyboard layouts (for different languages) on my system, and so I
use Caps-lock to switch between them. I know a lot of people use the
Alt-Shift key combination to switch layouts (this currently doesn't
conflict with opening the HUD), and that some keyboard layouts use
Right-Alt (AltGr) key as a third level chooser for their layout.
Since these are all customizable in Ubuntu, it shouldn't prevent Ubuntu
from offering multiple options for the HUD shortcut, but it might be a good
idea to warn the user if they choose a conflicting shortcut keys for layout
switching and the HUD.

Another note is related to a recent email by Pedro Bessa, on queuing user
commands. It seems to me that a HUD shortcut that is based on tapping a
modifier can slow down the users, as the HUD would only play after the key
was released. In contrast, using a shortcut like Super-space, the HUD can
be displayed right after the space is pressed, and the user can go on
typing their search faster.
Of course, this is just my theory, and it might be the case that pressing
two keys is actually slower :)

Regards,
Haggai

On 30 March 2012 07:22, Jamu Kakar <jkakar@xxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Hi Gustav,
>
> On Thu, Mar 29, 2012 at 4:08 PM, Gustav Sony <sony-qs@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> > Again!
> > How many apps are affected? I only heard about emacs, which is
> definitely a
> > power-user tool!
> > Wouldn't it be possible to make some exceptions for applications which
> rely
> > on ALT as modifier? If one of these apps is on top ... HUD will be
> blocked
> > or deactivated and has its normal function?
>
> I think it was Conscious User who mentioned, in the other thread, that
> Alt is a bad choice not only for emacs users, but also for when you
> press Alt as a modifier to use with another key, but then decide that
> you don't want to.  As soon as you let go of Alt the HUD appears and
> you have to respond to the distraction.
>
> I think it should be fine/possible for a user to choose Alt, if that's
> what they want, but increasingly it seems to be a bad default choice.
> The suggestion to use Super-Space is quite nice, since it fits in with
> the trend of Unity using Super for it's keystrokes.  I don't know if
> anyone uses it with Unity, but that could cause problems with GNOME Do
> which uses Super-Space as it's activation key (it's been awhile since
> I used it, but I think this is right).
>
> Thanks,
> J.
>
> --
> 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
>