unity-design team mailing list archive

[Thorsten Wilms <t_w_@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On 06/01/2012 10:16 AM, Christian Giordano wrote:
> My only concern on having both files and widgets in the Desktop, as you
> propose, is the weirdness of accessing the Desktop folder from the
> filesystem and not being able to see the widgets, at least not in a
> meaningful way.

> Maybe a good approach could be to list and eventually explore "every"
> option.

What defines widgets in this sense?

I'd say: single window programs that are started automatically and kept 
running during the entire session. This leaves their selection, removal 
and visibility/stacking management open to design.

Any objections or additions to the above?

Typical examples are fancy clocks and weather displays, but care should 
be taken to not derive needless limitations from these.


Not at all complete:

A: Widgets on the desktop
Pro:
- Reuse of an existing concept
- Adding and removing widgets can be a file operation
Con:
- Any visible application window will be on a layer above all widgets. 
So the user will often have to move windows out of the way, if they want 
to see widgets.

The mix of folders/files and widgets in the Desktop folder is not 
necessarily a problem. Widgets could have representations that work in 
list views, perhaps.


B: Widgets grouped in a layer, that appears in the Launcher similar to a 
single application
Pro:
- Relatively small addition to existing concepts, making use of similarity
- Widgets can be raised over all application windows
Con:
- There still needs to either z-order handling or a distinct layout 
management in the layer
- A new kind of item in the Launcher
- Requires distinct means of adding and removing widgets


C: Widgets as applications
Pro:
- Z-order/layout and visibility management is already solved and kept 
uniform.
- Widgets must have a titlebar, or a new mechanism taking on its job
Con:
- Automatic starting of widgets with the session must be made clear to 
the user somehow (though I would advocate complete session recall, 
making this point moot)


Or another way to go at it:

Extending what application windows can do to accommodate the needs of 
widgets
vs
Introducing a new kind of window

Representing widgets in the filesystem
vs
Not doing so

Tile/Grid layout
vs
overlapping, stacked

Grouping all widgets
vs
Having them in one space with application windows


--
Thorsten Wilms

thorwil's design for free software:
http://thorwil.wordpress.com/