Re: [Usability]Re: Taskbar should show tasks on all workspaces bydefault

[Irene Ryan <irene ryan sun com>]

Why don't we try and address this issue in the help for now? As the
current author of the online help for both the Workspace Switcher and
the Window List, I can update both manuals to make it absolutely clear
that there is a direct link between the tasks shown in the Window List
and the workspace that the user is currently in. If a user accidentally
switches to another workspace and panics over the fact that their tasks
are no longer visible in Window List, the help will explain what's going
on. 

I agree that having all tasks from all workspaces visible in the Window
List by default would be extremely messy and I also think it would
defeat the purpose of the Workspace Switcher. I also think that removing
the Workspace Switcher from the panel by default is a very drastic step
when we don't seem to be sure that there is a real problem in the first
place.

Regards,
Irene

Janne Morén wrote:
> 
> This is not a problem for users in my experience. There is no problem
> associating the current shown tasks with the current shown workspace;
> indeed, it reinforces the view of a workspace as a _workspace_, rather
> than as a window into a virtual desktop (which would be bad).
> 
> Having all tasks always visible would lead to an incoherent mess, and it
> would be worse the more people utilize the organisational beneifits of
> workspaces.
> 
> On the other hand, remove workspaces by default would remove perhaps the
> most appreciated UI improvement users encounter when starting with
> Linux. I have yet to see a new user not seeing the greatness of this
> idea inside of five minutes of starting to play with it.
> 
> On Tue, 2002-07-30 at 11:03, Pat Costello wrote:
> > Is the task display per workspace really a problem? Has anyone reported that
> > users find this to be a problem? Have any users reported difficulites with the
> > Workspace Switcher? If there has been no reports about this being a problem, how
> > do we know that we aren't dis-improving usability by either:
> >
> > - Not including the workspace switcher in the bottom edge panel by default.
> > - Including all tasks in the tasklist in all workspaces by default.
> >
> > For what my opinion is worth, the first suggestion removes a useful piece of
> > functionality that users might otherwise not find for some time, and the second
> > suggestion defeats the purpose of the workspace switcher, which is to allow
> > users to corral work in clearly distinct areas.
> >
> > Pat
> >
> >
> > > Delivered-To: usability gnome org
> > > To: Sunnanvind Fenderson <sunnanvind fenderson com>
> > > Cc: usability gnome org
> > > Subject: Re: [Usability]Re: Taskbar should show tasks on all workspaces by
> > default
> > > MIME-Version: 1.0
> > > X-BeenThere: usability gnome org
> > > X-Loop: usability gnome org
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> > >
> > > Hi,
> > >
> > > > No, but I can do it now. I'll put it in in both metacity and sawfish.
> > >
> > > How about the alternative- show all tasks in all workspaces by default?
> > > I'm sure that would cause a little bit less controversy. :-/
> > >
> > > regards,
> > >
> > > --
> > >
> > > Reinout van Schouwen                        Artificial Intelligence student
> > > email: reinout cs vu nl                     mobile phone: +31-6-44360778
> > > GPG public key http://www.cs.vu.nl/~reinout/reinout.asc
> > >
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> --
> Trust the Computer. The Computer is your friend.
> 
> Tel.    +46-046 222 8588             Mr. Jan Morén
> Home:   +46-046 211 4973             Dept. of Cognitive Science
> Fax:    +46-046 222 9758             Kungshuset, Lund
>                                      S-222 22 Lund, Sweden
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