Re: The Panel needs simplification

[MArk Finlay <sisob eircom net>]

On Mon, 2002-10-21 at 01:27, Dave Bordoley wrote:
> On Sun, 2002-10-20 at 10:41, MArk Finlay wrote:
> > On the Gnome User's Board were constantly getting questions about panels
> > like "How do I move my menu panel" and "why are there no settings for
> > the menu panel". So pretty much the usual stuff.
> 
> Here's some food for thought. If the menu panel really serves as the
> desktop menus, than shouldn't menu's always be at the top of the desktop
> window (like in every other window). I'm not professing that this train
> of thought is correct, but one could argue that the menu panel should
> always be on the screen and non-removable.
> 
> I would like us to at least give this some thought, though I admit I'm
> not against moving to an edge panel + menubar applet if it is decided
> that consistency among panels is more important (in fact I've file a few
> bugs related to this).

I've been thinking about this for a while. Is making the menu panel a
normal panel with an applet not a lot like adding an option instead of
fixing the problem. I like the applet because it lets me add a top level
settings menu.

As for people who want to move the panel - a lot of the time i see more
indignation at not being given the option rather than a genuine reason
why they would ever want to have the menu panel at the side or bottom of
the screen.

There are some problems with the menu panel but I'm starting to think
that making it a normal panel with an applet is not the best way to go
about it. How about having a menu panel preferences dialog where one
could change the background color, and what the top level menus are. Try
to incorperate the good ideas from them menu applet into the current
menu panel.

That said if someone feels the need to improve the menu applet it is no
harm to have it, but i would not necessarily get rid of the menu panel
in favor of it.


> > 3. Add a Preferences menu with desktop preferences and system tools.
> > 
> 
> This was discussed on usability a month or two ago and there is an open
> bug. No real resolution though on what should be done.

Damn, this one is really important to me

> > 
> > Also one thing that I havent heard mentioned is how confusing it is that
> > when you right click on a launcher and click help it brings up panel
> > help.
> 
> yeah that certainly seems broken and definately breaks the object
> metaphor of context menus. Probably should file a bug on that.

I'll do that when i get ½ a sec.

> > I think that this item should be removed, but also the panel menu
> > should be a sub-menu when you click on a launcher. That way you can
> > easily get to panel help and options.
> 
> a panel submenu is a bad idea, and indeed the hig explicitly states that
> context menus should not include sub-menus (the fact that we rely on
> context menus for adding and removing panels and their objects is bad
> too).

It may be a 3.0 thing but I think that a major rethink of panels is in
order. Possibly move panel options etc.. to the control center.

-- 
		 .--= [ MArk Finlay - sisob ] =--.

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