[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread] 

List:       kde-core-devel
Subject:    Re: taskbar grouping, off by default please.
From:       Torsten Rahn <tackat () kde ! org>
Date:       2001-05-16 4:35:57
[Download RAW message or body]


> > Now the user sees at least once  he presses the taskbar at all
> > where his tasks have gone. I think that's obvious enough ...
>
> You miss the point. We already had a grouping feature. It's called "virtual

Oh, So I have to be forced to use virtual desktops to "group" 
my tasks? Do you really think that more than 50 % of our users organize
their stuff by using virtual desktops? "puhlease" -- this is ridiculous. 

Personally I don't use virtual desktops much easier because I can't
organize my stuff that way. Judging from the fact the a lot of 
windows-users can't get rid of their habits this is probably
true for a large amount of our users, too. a large amount of them will stick 
to the very first virtual desktop.

> desktops". The taskbar shows you which apps you have running on a certain
> desktop. With this second grouping feature that is gone. I have to move my

I think I saw a patch for grouping tasks per virtual desktop recently.

> > Also I'd like to know whether Gnome and Windows XP will have it on by
> > default too
> Puhlease, if we want to remain the leading desktop we need to think for
> ourselves not sheepishly follow the mistakes of others.

Puhlease. We have the chance to add a very handy feature by default.
The only question is: Will the user experience it as an advantage or 
as an irritating issue. It's not easy to judge on that based on the needs of
a kde-developer (because his needs usually differ from those of our 
target-userbase). So one option is making usability-tests and/or look at 
the conclusion other projects made (based on their 
assumptions/usability-test). After all people who come from Windows or
other desktops will be very used to that feature if it is enabled by default 
and might feel that it has an advantage over the current behaviour. 

The comment-section of dot has become a forum of complainiacs anyways, but 
here we go ...

> Don't implement something just because it is in winXP or it is in Gnome.
> And if you really need to implement it make sure to implement it correctly
> and in a smart way. I am not sure about the details of KDE implementation,
> but here are my obvious observations:
>
>  - Don't need taskbar grouping if there are only two konqueror windows are
> open. It just slows you down. You need two clicks instead of one click to
> activate windows. So put a limit (4-5) on open windows before grouping
> them.

This would mean that one would be switching between two concepts all the 
time. Would be more irritating to the user imho.

>  - Only group windows that really can show some differentiating text to
> identify which is which. An example is the url of the konqueror window. A
> bad example is gnome xterm windows. I have three xterms open. Gnome groups
> them and I am really frustrated since there is no text identifying which
> one is which. If all of them were on the taskbar, at least mentally I know
> their locations on the taskbar which makes it easy to switch.

I don't see the difference between the current solution and the "old" taskbar 
here. In both there is no chance to see the difference without taking care of 
the position of the item.

>  - Use the taskbar fully before switching to grouping. There is no point of
> grouping windows when the rest of the taskbar is empty. It just slows down
> the productivity.

This would mean that one would be switching between two concepts all the 
time. Would be more iriitating to the user imho.

Personally for me the taskbar has finally become usable with this feature 
being added. Before it was implemented the interior-taskbar was 
unusable because it was filled after creating _six_ windows (which is 
equivalent to opening a konqueror, a terminal and a gimp-session with only 
one image being opened.). The external taskbar was a cludge as well because 
one had to look through several lines of buttons before finding the right 
window.

 
Greetings,
Tackat

> ======================
>
> Cheers,
> Waldo

[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread]