Re: Menubar (and Empty Default Desktop) Proposals for GNOME 2.10

[Brad Landis <Bradlis7 classicnet net>]

On Fri, 2004-11-19 at 19:58 +1100, Nigel Tao wrote:
> > 1) Tool driven: [Applications]
> > 2) Spatially-oriented: [Places]
> >       Home
> >       Computer [== root + desktop + media + network]
> >       ---------
> >       Floppy
> >       [other expandable media inserted here]
> >       ---------
> >       Network =>
> >       The Web
> 
> "The Web" as a place - I presume that that would open the default
> browser to the default home page.  Interesting idea...
> 
> >       ---------
> >       Recent Places =>
> >       Favorite Places =>
> >       ---------
> >       Find a Place
> > 3) Verb-driven: [Actions]
> >      Surf the Internet
> >      Check E-Mail
> >      Listen to Music
> >      Watch a Movie
> >      ----------------
> >      Draft a Document
> >      Create a Spreadsheet
> >      Edit Images
> >      ... [this middle section would be difficult to
> > manage]
> 
> To me, this middle section looks a lot like the Applications menu to
> start with.  "Create a Spreadsheet" is equivalent to Office ->
> Spreadsheet.
> 
> 
> >      ----------------
> >       Find Help
> >       Change Desktop Settings
> >       Change Administrative Setting [this would be
> > greyed out if you don't have administrative
> > privileges]
> >       ---------------
> >       Log out/Reboot/Shutdown
> 
> 
> Other posts in this thread mentioned that the "Actions" menu was badly
> named and seemed more like a miscellaneous catch-all.
> 
> How about another proposal - just Applications and Places.  Or, in other
> words, "Things to Do, Places to See".  Or, in other other words, "task-
> centric, document-centric".
> 
> Applications Menu:
> Browse the Web
> E-mail
> Play Music
> Manage Photos
> ------------
> Accessories ->
> Games ->
> Graphics ->
> Internet ->
> etc. (the current Apps menu)
> ------------
> Preferences ->
> Administrative Settings ->
> (configuration stuff that distros like Ubuntu and NLD put in System nee
> Actions)
> Run Application...
> ------------
> Help
> ------------
> Lock Screen
> Log Out
> (these two aren't really applications, but then again, "Quit" is in the
> File menu of most programs, and that isn't really related to files).
> 
> Places Menu:
> Home
> Desktop
> Computer
> Network
> ------------
> Floppy
> CD-ROM
> etc.
> ------------
> file bookmark 1
> file bookmark 2
> etc.
> ------------
> Recent Documents ->
> Search for Files...
> File Browser
> 
> 
> Nigel.

It also might be a good idea to have the direction of the panel switch
when it opens up and down.  It's difficult to get to "Browse the Web"
and "Email" whenever you have the menu on the bottom.  It seems stupid
to me that in windows, they have web browser on top, but you have to
move your mouse halfway across the screen to click on it.  I use top
bars, but not everyone does.  This may not be an idea everyone likes,
but I think it would be good.

-- 
Brad Landis <Bradlis7 classicnet net>