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

[Daniel Borgmann <daniel liebesgedichte net>]

On Tue, 2002-07-30 at 18:03, Irene Ryan wrote:
> 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. 

Because a user who panics because he accidently clicked on another
workspace will not immidiatly think of opening the workspace help. 
Maybe some nifty (and sometimes annoying ;)) "autohelp" like Microsoft
does it constantly would avoid this. It could pop in (as some graphical
element but no real window. Like a tooltip but bigger and maybe a button
to close it) when the user clicks on another workspace for the first
time, explaining what he just did and where his applications are gone.
An experienced user will grin about this of course but probably not care
much. Just a suggestion. :)

> 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.

Agreed, but only showing one workspace per default (not removing the
applet) would be a less drastic step. The question might be if having a
basically useless workspace switcher (because there is nothing to
switch) applet as default configuration wouldn't be crack...