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List:       kde-core-devel
Subject:    Re: Possible Feature.
From:       Rik Hemsley <rik () kde ! org>
Date:       2000-01-26 22:18:41
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#if Mosfet
> [...]
> Another idea I saw mentioned on one of these lists I liked is a
> universal status window that contains status messages of all the apps.
> Could be useful for paying attention to what is going on in windows on
> other desktops. I don't think this should replace the application
> specific statusbar since you want to be able see the last message in a
> specific window, but would be a cool supplement, maybe implemented via
> dcop calls in KStatusBar.

You reminded me of another idea.

RISC OS allows you to bring up a 'help' window that shows context-sensitive
help as you move the mouse around the screen. You don't have to click
on the '?' and then click on the widget.

Perhaps both these ideas could be implemented as kicker plugins ?
Depending on screen size, having either or both at full- or half- screen
width would be quite handy IMO.

It's just nice to dream of truly separating all the UI elements from
apps and being able to shift them around as we see fit, just as in
the idea of having toolbars on the right edge of the screen.

The toolbar-on-right idea sounds nice to me, but I still prefer the
RISC OS idea (surprise) where the toolbar is stuck to the left edge of the
window. I'm not sure about this, but I'd say that toolbars are used
mainly by 'intermediate' users: those who've realised what the icons
represent and that they are faster to reach than the menus. Menus
are used by the complete cluebie and shortcut keys are used by those
who have more experience.

So toolbars don't really need to be subject to Fitts' Law - they don't
need to be in an area where you can hit them very quickly. The intermediate
user is probably not particularly fast with their pointing device anyway.

Cheers,
Rik

-- 
2. Implicate yourself in every interpretation.

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