[Usability]Recently used applications

[Jeff Waugh <jdub perkypants org>]

<quote who="Dave Bordoley"/>

> Contrast the same action with windows in which the user needs to select
> start => programs => mozilla => mozilla web browser (there are examples of
> even deeper hierarchy in windows). 

You need to look at a recent version of Windows. XP, whilst it has a hideous
double-column menu, includes a recent applications list directly on the menu
It's almost a "most useful applications" list, which goes above and beyond
'recent'.

This is fast, relevant and usable.

> Basically my view is that gnome does not suffer from the usability flaws
> that make the recent apps feature necessary (we have a very shallow menu
> hierarchy, and for bonus points we have good categorization and app
> naming).

When it comes down to it, the 'competition' is between:

  Applications > Internet > Web Browser

and:

  Applications > Web Browser

With some clever design, I think we can pull it off.

[ Note that I've set the To and Reply-To addresses to usability and Cc'ed
d-d-l. Let's keep this where it's relevant. :-) ]

- Jeff

-- 
   "You know, the crunchy, folk-singer part of me wants to believe that a   
     performance is a dialogue, but I can't hear a fucking thing you're     
                          saying." - Ani DiFranco