Re: questions from a newbie

[Ross Smith <myxiplx googlemail com>]

On Fri, May 8, 2009 at 10:51 AM, Milan Bouchet-Valat <nalimilan club fr> wrote:
> Le vendredi 08 mai 2009 à 10:30 +0100, Ross Smith a écrit :
>> [...]
> Leaving people  answer about other points.
>
>> 3. A suggestion for a new panel workspace switcher
>> ========================================
>> While we're talking about plugins, a new one I'd really like to see
>> would be something like this:
>>
>> Quick workspace switcher
>> A gnome panel applet that activates on mouse-over, and pops out a
>> small thumbnail panel of all your workspaces.  Kind of like the
>> existing switcher, but with a few of benefits:
>> - it doesn't take up so much space on the panel (4 dual screen
>> workspaces is getting a bit large)
>> - ability to support more workspaces (you can forget things like a 4x2
>> layout with the current one, this would handle even 4x4 fine).
>> - the user could decide the size of the preview window
>> - you get a full graphical preview of the programs running on each workspace
>> - it's still a one click action to switch workspaces
>> - clicking the panel app could bring up a full screen view of all
>> workspaces (arranged like compiz scale).
> I'm not sure that exactly fits your request, but see the previous
> "Breadcrumbs in the panel" thread in this list, with a screenshot of the
> current state of Sander's branch.

Thanks, that does sound good, but I think I'd still like a visual
workspace picker as an option.

You never know though, if it's easy to name workspaces it may end up
being quicker and easier to use a menu.


>
>> 4. Musings on Workspaces as a way of linking programs
>> ========================================
>> I can see me using absolutely tons of workspaces with gnome-shell.
>> For me, in gnome-shell a workspace is now just a place to keep related
>> items or projects grouped together, and since Ubuntu hardly ever needs
>> rebooting, I'll just keep workspaces open until that task is finished.
>>
>> Now, what might be nice is a way to close a workspace, and all the
>> programs within it in one go.  Would be great when I've finished with
>> a job.
>>
>> Hmm... thinking about it, I wonder if Zeitgeist can use workspaces as
>> a way of linking items?
>> .. and should the Actions menu be able to show tasks for that workspace?
>> .. in fact, that could be superb - separate recent document and
>> program lists for each workspace!!  Great for power users.
> This sounds like the idea of Activities I'm trying to implement. See
> http://live.gnome.org/GnomeShell/Activities for a description how what
> they could be. Interacting with Zeitgeist on that regard is obviously a
> goal.

I read the first paragraph and I'm hooked!!!   Absolutely spot on, it
sounds like it matches the way I already work really well, and being
able to save activities for later... *drool*

I think Gnome-Shell and Activities could be the things that get normal
users to really understand and use workspaces.