unity-design team mailing list archive

["pjssilva@xxxxxxxxx" <pjssilva@xxxxxxxxx>]

This is a follow up from my former e-mail. Gnome shell is getting rid
of application categories completely:

http://worldofgnome.org/gnome-shell-gets-its-first-facelift/

I hope there isn't any such plans to Unity... I'll migrate my whole
family to Unity after the next upgrade.

I still hope that Unity, more specifically the Application Lens, can
better support browsing by categories in the future.

best,

Paulo


2012/6/12 pjssilva@xxxxxxxxx <pjssilva@xxxxxxxxx>:
> I will use the opportunity to point out one of the major problems in
> the Dash, IMHO. IN my home I am the only one using unity, my two sons
> and my wife use Gnome and The Dash is the reason.
>
> Let me explain. I thin the Dash is very good to find applications and
> documents by searching. It is great to type two letters and get the
> application you want, much faster than using the mouse. I love it and
> I have already starting using such work flow with gnome-do under the
> "old" Gnome 2 days.
>
> Why do I use Unity and the rest of the family doesn't? The reason is
> that I am very different from the rest of the family. I am computer
> literate, using computers for programming since I was 10 years old (I
> am 39 now). I am a computer scientist. I am a typist, so I feel very
> comfortable to use the keyboard instead of the mouse. I know all the
> applications that are installed in our computers, so I know what to
> search easily. In short I prefer to search rather the to browse
> applications.
>
> But my two sons are young. 9 and 5 years old. They don't use the
> keyboard to type and the youngest is illiterate. For them it is much
> more natural to browse the installed applications, specially the
> "Games" and "Educational" section. Right now the Dash is not good for
> this. First when you click it, it defaults to search. Even if you
> always move to the applications lens first, the Dash does not learn
> this behavior and starts again in the Home lens in the next time. It
> would be nice to be able to select the default lens in dash (or make
> it learn your preference, which would be much nicer).
>
> OK, I can teach my sons to open the application lens (I did the
> similar thing in gnome shell).
>
> Now the next pitfall, the application lens does not show the
> applications categories by default, you have to open it (and even if
> you always do, the lens will forget it once you log out and we do log
> out in my place where we have one computer with two heads for four
> people). So there are already two clicks before they can see the
> categories. Now the categories in the application lens are not
> exclusive, they behave like tags. So if you look at the education
> section and after that want to take a break and play a game, you have
> to first "un-select" the education category and only then select
> games. Once again extra clicks. Another problem that generate extra
> mouse clicks is that if the desired game is not in the first row of
> the installed games, you need an extra click to expand all results.
> This option is also forgotten once you log out.
>
> I am sorry, but the above work flow is very convoluted and complicated
> to explain to a five year old. Let me recall it: "Click application
> lens", "Open the category browser", "Select your category (maybe you
> want to un-select an old category)", "Expand results", and, finally,
> find the game you want!
>
> I do believe that the Dash and in particular the application lens
> should better accommodate browsing for applications. Here are my
> specific suggestions:
>
> 1) The Dash should learn that you usually prefer a specific lens and
> open it as default.
>
> 2) The application lens should have the categories open by default.
>
> 3) The application lens should show all the results by default if the
> option to *not* show installable applications is set.
>
> 3.5) If it is not possible to have the defaults in 2 or 3, the
> application lens should recall its state between sessions. Then I
> could do a first set up for my kids and then give then a better system
> for their workflow.
>
> 4) The categories should work exclusively to allow easier browsing. If
> you are browsing it is much more likely that you are looking at a
> specific category than a group of two or more.
>
> best,
>
> Paulo
>
> 2012/6/12 shane lee <shaneymail@xxxxxxxxx>:
>> I use Dash in the same way.
>> Basic searching for what I want, no using of filters so the dash is
>> really wasted for me.
>>
>> Since results from things like the video lens open up in a browser, I
>> don't bother with that and just start off from the browser which is
>> usually open anyway.
>>
>> For all it's bells and whistles, I use Dash EXACTLY the same way as I
>> use KDE's Kickoff menu or the Windows start menu, both of which have
>> remained unchanged for years.
>>
>> On 12 June 2012 09:35, Thorsten Wilms <t_w_@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>> On 06/12/2012 02:09 AM, Contempo wrote:
>>>>
>>>> http://i47.tinypic.com/xnynw9.png
>>>
>>>
>>>> - The circles on the right indicate the Applications page where you
>>>> are, like Android or iOs, but scroll down.
>>>
>>>
>>> If a user really does scan more results that fit on one page, paging should
>>> be of advantage, as I see no reason, why seeing part of the previous page
>>> would help.
>>>
>>> Though for search-based access, I suspect that somewhere above 9 results,
>>> showing any further matches does more to crowd the screen, less to help the
>>> user.
>>>
>>>
>>>> - The 3 rows of lens applications would be eliminated. ('Recent
>>>> Applications' by now would have no better use than the left-launcher.
>>>> Why 'Installed Applications' are hidden? by showing all of those icons
>>>> you can get a better view of what is in the system. 'Applications to
>>>> download' is redundant with the action that meets Ubuntu Software
>>>> Center, which performs the function of recommending applications)
>>>>
>>>> - The lens Applications replace the home. (The home is divided in
>>>> three rows, the most recent elements are found in the left-launcher or
>>>> lenses)
>>>>
>>>> - The window control buttons removed. (The Ubuntu button opens and
>>>> closes the dash, full screen always keeps your attention)
>>>>
>>>> - Categories filters removed. (More options for subdivision
>>>> applications only brings more complexity, to this is the search and
>>>> quick scroll with circles)
>>>
>>>
>>> Personally, I use the Dash exclusively for search-based access to files,
>>> folders and applications. No switching to specific lenses, no using Filters.
>>> If I would want to limit results to one lense, it should be possible by text
>>> entry or at least with a click close to where my pointer will be (which is
>>> not the bottom of the Dash!).
>>>
>>> The exception where I could see myself using Filters is for music, but it's
>>> questionable if those needs aren't better served by a specialized interface.
>>>
>>> Do others on the list use the Dash differently?
>>>
>>> Much more important: has Canonical's user testing led to any insight
>>> regarding the depth and frequency of use of the Dash's current features?
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Thorsten Wilms
>>>
>>> thorwil's design for free software:
>>> http://thorwil.wordpress.com/
>>>
>>> --
>>> 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
>>
>> --
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>
>
>
> --
> Paulo José da Silva e Silva
> Professor Associado, Dep. de Ciência da Computação
> (Associate Professor, Computer Science Dept.)
> Universidade de São Paulo - Brazil
>
> e-mail: pjssilva@xxxxxxxxxx         Web: http://www.ime.usp.br/~pjssilva



-- 
Paulo José da Silva e Silva
Professor Associado, Dep. de Ciência da Computação
(Associate Professor, Computer Science Dept.)
Universidade de São Paulo - Brazil

e-mail: pjssilva@xxxxxxxxxx         Web: http://www.ime.usp.br/~pjssilva