[gnome-love] Start-Menu

[Thijs Thiessens <T Thiessens chello nl>]

Hello,

I wasn't very clear in my first post, so here is bit explanation.

First of all, I use gnome since I use Linux, which is probably from
around 1998. I have also used KDE a lot, but for some unknown reason I
really loved gnome much more than I ever loved KDE, or any other desktop
manager.

Besides the other plans I have related to the theming concept, here is
what I want for the start menu, but please consider the fact, that I
don't want millions of configuration options that drive me crazy like in
KDE. Remember also that this is an effort from a users point of view. I
know I can edit all things I want, but not my little sister, who just
wants to find Frozen-Bubble easy.

The basic framework I have in mind;

The gnome-menu
The gnome-menu-editor
The gnome-menu-configurator

The gnome-menu would be based on modules, each wich can be graphically
configured.
The gnome-menu has at least one module in which we could place small
applets. Remember though that people also uses the menu-bar for this.
The gnome-menu would be task oriented, as it's default setting.
The gnome-menu should have a clear and clean organisation.
The gnome-menu can be placed anywhere you like.
The gnome-menu should have some ability to draw it's content from a
remote source.
The gnome-menu should take advantage of the flexibility of XML.
Their will alway's be an option to use the original gnome-menu.
With gnome-menu-editor we can build a new theme for the gnome-menu.
With gnome-menu-configurator we can configure our current theme, based
on the configuration options the designer has build in for this theme.
The gnome-menu, and it's two applications should be developed in C.

These are a few simple thoughts I have in mind.
More important, we should assemble some CRAZY designers, who can think
of original GNOME-like designs. Not those stupid Windows look alike
things I have seen from other discussions. But creative, inventive
things which are good to use, functional, yet very compelling. Remember
that the design of the Windows start menu, isn't nonfunctional, in
contrast, it is very usable. It's just very ugly. :)

I'm a programmer, and I don't even use the gnome-menu much. But please
consider that users of a computer need a starting place in which they
can choose a specific task they would like the computer to perform. They
don't want to see a list of programs installed on the computer.

It would be nice to see some comments of the gnome developers. Perhaps
they have certain plans already availible for the gnome-menu. 

To start things, perhaps I can organise some contest for the best
gnome-menu. People can send in their ideas, and creations, along with
some comments on why they have designed it that way. It should give us
at least an idea of what people want. Rather than that we try to figure
out what they want. To make them enthusiastic, I will search for a very
nice award alike thing.. :)

These are all just thoughts, comments are welcome.



Thijs

p.s

(Waar kom je vandaan? :) )