Gnome-shell and usability (from user perspective)

[Maciej Piechotka <uzytkownik2 gmail com>]

First of all I'd like to say that I'm not usability specialist (I'm not
event 'normal' user - I'm closer to power user). However after some time
of using the gnome-shell (from about GNOME 2.27.x)  I noted a few problems -
and they are more the minor problems (I believe) in design rather that 'bugs' so
I decided to post it here.

I know that GNOME 3.0 is near but I guess it should be somewhere
addressed (possibly in GNOME 3.2)

- Application-based navigation in gnome-shell may be nice idea but in
some cases it has no high usability. If someone have more than one
document it can be hard to navigate - all I have is white boxes with
some text.

The fade-out provides little clue where should I find an application.
There *are* names and I can use recent items but there are some problems
with this approach:

  1. It does not work for terminals as they are not documents.
  2. Recent items can get spammed by some applications - for example
seeing 160 photos from camera destroys the whole list

Anyway the problem is not that it is not impossible. The problem is that
it is harder.

- Working with workspace is harder. When I had gnome-panel I had about 8
workspaces constantly opened and I had 1:1 relationship between tasks
and workspaces. Now I use one workspace.

The problem is the change from 'array' approach to 'linked list'
approach. Also I cannot rearrange them or insert workspace in the
middle.

I also cannot rearrange freely the workspaces. I had the set up where
all programming tasks was next to each other etc.

- It is less about me but the notes about redesign nautilus. All
'normal' users I know do not use toolbars and keyboard shortcuts. If
they want to save they go to File|Save even if disk is on toolbar. If
they want to print they go to File|Print even if printer icon is on
toolbar (some if they want to exit goes to File|Save and then File|
Close).

While getting rid of menus may be argued as simpler etc. it may be
perceived as harder for users which have some experience with computers
but do not understand how does it work (and they have some
superstitions).

(On the other hand simplifying menus seems a good idea).



I understand that gnome-shell is probably targeted at users who are not
necessary familiar with computers. However after some time of using
gnome-shell I find it *less* task-based and harder to use using my work
flow.

Regards