Re: Some small ideas for the Shell Panel and Overview

[Elia Cogodi <elia cogodi gmail com>]

On Sat, Apr 9, 2011 at 12:28 AM, Seif Lotfy <seif lotfy com> wrote:
> While using GNOME Shell I noticed that to reach "Applications" (or the
> current "Journal" I implemented with Federico) overview I have to go over
> the windows Overview first which is somehow irritating. I decided to let my
> roommates try GNOME Shell. And when I told them to open an application
> they intuitively went to "Activities" (which is a good start) but then
> stopped a moment then went to applications. Now I asked them to open another
> application and they did it again. However they both were bothered by having
> to go over the overview then click applications again (to much movement of
> windows). Also "Activities" seemed to be irritating to one of them (the
> other did not really care). I had a discussion with Ryan Lortie regarding
> the naming, where he suggested calling it "Overview".
> I took the liberty to modify GNOME shell in a way I thought would be very
> intuitive to me. While it does introduce some clutter to the top panel it
> does allow quicker access to the applications and journal. Right now me and
> Federico are running this and are liking it in a way, since accessing a
> specific overview now is just one click away.
> This is just brainstorming and I would like to know your opinion on it.
> Cheers
> Seif
> _______________________________________________
> gnome-shell-list mailing list
> gnome-shell-list gnome org
> http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/gnome-shell-list
>
>

I have no idea how the journal/library interaction will evolve over
time, but I have a few observations about the "applications" direct
link.

To better understand the use case, why do we suppose that a user
should frequently look for the application launcher in the application
grid "tab" rather than keeping it in the dash? The way I see it, going
to the application grid should be a rare action, not a common one.
Clicking that direct link in the top bar and then choosing the
application out of 50-150 in a grid seems clumsier to me than clicking
on the "one-stop" activities/overview and then choosing from about 15
in the linear dash, with spacial memory helping you.

Actually, I think that users should be more encouraged to make
extensive use of the dash... a few ideas:
- Instead of the application grid being triggered by a tab-like
button, it could be a special dash item. Always last, named something
like "all applications" or "more applications", opening the same
interface we have now. It would suggest strongly by its very
positioning that application launchers "live in the dash". It would be
shown in strict alternative to the dash trash one that appears on
dragging, or replace it altogether (as in "move the launcher back to
the big pile of all apps" instead of "trash this icon").

- "smarter than thou" UI: the first time a user launches an
application from the application tab or by search, suggest that they
can add it to the dash (a dialog with a nice "add it to the dash"
button).
- "smarter than thou" UI 2: track the number of times a user launches
an application (I suppose Zeitgeist could do it easily, right?) and
after -say- 5 times, if the application is not in the dash already
show the suggestion dialog.
- "smarter than thou" UI 3: if the user has pinned to the dash less
than -say- 15 applications, show the most used applications up to the
15 total number in an "automatic" section of the dash (Zeitgeist
again?)

Are you thinking of users that routinely need to use *dozens* of
different applications, unwieldy numbers for the dash? Even for them I
would still see as more useful an extension or hidden setting to keep
the dash visible on the desktop at all times, coupled with the "all
applications" special dash item. The app grid would be one click away,
same as with the link in the top bar, but still the use of the dash
would be encouraged when possible.

--
    Elia