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List:       kde-core-devel
Subject:    Re: Detailed menus: a solution for 3.1
From:       m_elter () t-online ! de (Matthias Elter)
Date:       2002-01-22 8:24:35
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Thomas Zander wrote:

> On Tue, Jan 22, 2002 at 08:59:36AM +0100, Rob Kaper wrote:
> 
>>Just had an idea on how we could solve the detailed menu entries with
>>descriptions for 3.1.
>>
>>While a user uses the k-menu, the rest of the panel is pretty useless,
>>especially the application icons. We could use the panel area to display
>>more detailed information about an application, keeping the menus tidy and
>>yet providing a nice way to show extra information, in a place that is
>>always the same for the user.
>>
>>See http://capsi.com/~cap/snapshot-kmenu.jpg for a crude attempt to make
>>this work.
>>
>>I think it should be sufficient to just use the application buttons area, it
>>is big enough and keeps items that might have some use visible, such as the
>>taskbar.
>>
> 
> Nice idea; but my kicker is competely full, and looking around the office I am
> not the only one. Mine also autohides.

Empty space on the panel is not the problem, we could simply hide panel 
containers for a few seconds. Just like MS does it with their "<-- Click 
here to start" (or similar) message.

My main concern about Robs idea is that the comment should appear 
somewhere "close" to the menu entry. Try searching an application by 
reading the comment with Robs approach. Your eyes have to switch between 
the panel and the menu all the time. This just does not make sense.

Autohide is not a problem by the way, as the panel does not hide while 
the menu is open.

I plan to add a user friendly (call it XP like if you want to) menu to 
kicker for KDE 3.1. The new menu will be the default and the current 
menu (without comments in menu entries) will remain for advanced users.

Greetings,
Matthias

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