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

List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: An alternative to the kde taskbar
From:       Maurizio Colucci <seguso.forever () tin ! it>
Date:       2004-08-30 14:41:39
Message-ID: 200408301641.39969.seguso.forever () tin ! it
[Download RAW message or body]

On Monday 30 August 2004 01:38, Maurizio Colucci wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I have written a replacement for the kde taskbar. It is optimized for who
> keeps many windows open at a time, especially many konqueror windows, and
> doesn't like to use virtual desktops.
>
> If you are that kind of person, you might want to give it a try :-)
>
> Its main feature is that it sorts the windows like ALT+TAB. This greatly
> diminishes the average search time.
>
> Another feature is that it's very easy to toggle between two windows.
>
> To get it:
>
> cvs -d:pserver:anonymous@cvs.sf.net:/cvsroot/logicaldesktop co windowlist
>
> I am curious about your impressions. Would it make sense to add it to kde?
>
> Take care,

Does nobody care? ;-)

After two days of testing, I have to say this is a great improvement. It turns 
out there are many unexpected situations where having the most recently used 
window available by clicking on top of the list is useful:

1. I am writing a program and I need to continuously consult a language 
reference, in another window. Then I have to quickly toggle between two 
windows. I can easily do that by clicking on the first visible button, istead 
of doing a two-level search in the classic taskbar. This is a killer feature.

2. I accidentally click outside of the window when trying to resize it. I can 
immediately bring the previous window on top by clicking on the first button.

3. you can cycle between the THREE most recent windows by clicking the second 
button.

4. The fact that kde reopens all the window at startup (session remembering) 
makes it very desirable not to close your windows at all. Yet, we are forced 
to close our windows (or arrange them into multiple virtual desktops) because 
having many windows open makes it expensive to switch windows --- because 
finding the right window in the taskbar becomes expensive. This applet 
completely solves this problem. You keep 20 windows open at a time, yet most 
of the time you have to scan only the first three with your eyes.


Furthermore: 

5. Observation: with this paradigm, the tray area becomes useless (I won't 
explain why).

6. the applet is very compact.

7. you never have to compare two windows by looking at the icon only, or by 
comparing truncated names. You always see the full window name.

-- 
Maurizio Colucci
http://logicaldesktop.sourceforge.net
_______________________________________________
kde-usability mailing list
kde-usability@kde.org
https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/kde-usability
[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread]