[Usability] Too much distraction-free computing

[Mantas <sirexas gmail com>]

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I know that one of main gnome features: Distraction-free computing.

But thanks to this feature, now I have lot of missed emails, IRC
conversations, etc. Before Gnome 3 I was always notified if something
happened using notification area or system tray. But now such thing is
completely hidden at the bottom of screen.

As I understand, notification area or systray is mainly used for
informing if there is some thing new. Also some people use it to place
applications for really quick access, if application sits there, it is
visible and loaded to memory so it shows up to user instantly when clicked.

Both things:

1. notification if there is some thing new

2. super fast application access

currently is missing in Gnome 3.

My suggestion would be:

1. notification if there is some thing new

I think there should be some API for all applications. If an application
has some think new to tell, it can send request to API telling what is new.

Then centralized notification area (an icon in system status area) some
how  (xchat is good example) shows to user, that there is some thing
new, that needs user attention. When user click on this icon, list of
all notifying items appears.

User should be able to mark all items as read with one click and
notification icon turns to its inactive state and will be ready for new
notifications. This is needed, because some times you don't have time to
pay attention to everything and if you see that currently there is not
so urgent apps requiring your attention, you can leave it as is and
prepare notification area for new possibly more important notifications.

If user click on an item, that asks for attention, action provided by
sender application will be performed: mail client opens list of unread
emails, chat client opens chat window, IRC client shows list of channels
that are monitored for activity, etc.

Also it would be greate to blacklist some apps or some kinds of
notifications in an app. This would be realy useful if you se, that an
app is asking for your attention to often with not so important information.

Ubuntu has some thing similar, may be it is possible to standardize this
thing?

2. super fast application access

Ok, there is top-left corner and dash, but it requires a lot of mouse
movements and screen redrawing, to reach an app, that you want, and it
is totally not superfast.

It would be much better, if dash will appear instantly, when mouse moves
somewhere in the middle of left screen side. For superfast apps access
nothing more, except dash is needed. This must be really fast and
without changing all screen, just showing dash with superfast access to
most used apps.

All docks like AWN, Cairo Dock, ets. with autho-hide turned on are good
examples.



- -- 
                 Mantas aka sirex
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