[Usability]UI problems in the latest GNOME2 beta

[James Ramsey <jjramsey_6x9eq42 yahoo com>]

Window list panel applet
========================

This applet is invisible unless some task is running.
It doesn't even have a handle (at least not by
default). This is a problem because if a user adds
this applet to the panel when no tasks are running,
there is no feedback that anything has changed; the
user appears to have done nothing (since the applet
isn't visible).

I suggest that this applet either have a handle on it
at one of its ends or that there be a depression in
the panel where the empty part of the window list is.
The latter is probably better, since it would be
harder to overlook than a handle. It also would give
more info on the size and shape of the window applet.


Workplace switcher (pager)
==========================

First, the workspace switcher only shows Sawfish's
workspaces, not its viewports. This wouldn't be a
problem, except that Sawfish's window menu allows a
user to send a window to a viewport. In fact, the
feedback from the workspace switcher implies that
switching a window to another viewport causes the
other windows to have disappear (even though they are
still there, just hidden). It also makes it harder for
a user to tell on which viewports of the workspace
his/her windows are.

Second, the Properties dialog of the switcher makes it
appear that the number of available workspaces can be
changed from the dialog, when in fact, the workspace
count can only be changed from sawfish-ui. Trying to
change the number of workspaces from the Properties
dialog is ineffective. Note: this may be a bug in the
Workspace switcher functionality itself.


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-- I am a fool for Christ. Mostly I am a fool. --

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