Re: Hiding minimized windows from Overview?

[Holger Berndt <berndth gmx de>]

On Fr, 27.05.2011 22:20, Cyril Arnaud wrote:

>> Any pointers on how I could hack mutter or the shell to make minimized
>> windows not appear in the overview mode? 

The request is actually very similar to my own question about getting
applications "out of the way" from a while ago:
http://www.mail-archive.com/gnome-shell-list gnome org/msg03372.html

>Instead of changing the code (mutter or gnome shell) or even creating an
>extension, I suggest you simply change your workflow.
>Like you I have Evolution on 100% of the time.
>I simply put it in another workspace. Usually what I do is starting
>Evolution and Empathy on the first workspace, and I work (LibreOffice
>mainly) on workspace 2, and I use the subsequent workspaces for other
>applications (let say, Chromium, a terminal, Rhythmbox ...)

Nice to hear that this workaround works well for you. I don't think
it's a good solution, though.

We clearly have a history of abusing the tray area for all kinds of
weird stuff besides notifications, one of which was/is to get
applications out of the way without closing them and loosing visual
feedback. This inconsistency and arbitrariness is bad, and should
change.

I'm afraid the suggestion of using workspaces to get rid of application
windows is just the same evil, just in other wrapping. In my
understanding, workspaces are a tool to group windows
according to activities - not a graveyard of stuff that I want to keep
running, but not see all the time. This sounds like abuse to me, just
as it was with the tray.

There are some distinct types of applications that users want
running, but not interact with all the time, and I feel it would make
sense to have a clean design for visual feedback and interaction for
each of those types.

One category would be messangers that have a online/offline state
(permanently like IM, or peridically like MUAs). Others may be media
players.

Holger