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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Thoughts on applications and windows
From:       Maurizio Colucci <seguso.forever () tin ! it>
Date:       2004-08-30 16:52:06
Message-ID: 200408301852.06606.seguso.forever () tin ! it
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There are some issues we take for granted, but when you think of it you don't 
remember why they are the way they are.

1. 

We all know the K-menu is a list of "applications" (actually two lists: 
"recently used applications" and "all applications").
If the application you need to use is closed, the K-menu is the place to look 
for it. 

On the other hand, if the application is open, the _taskbar_ is the place to 
look for it. But the taskbar is not a list of applications: it is a list of 
_windows_. Is this not a logical error?

Why must the user scan a list of _applications_ when the app is closed, but a 
list of _windows_ when it's open? Wouldn't it be better to have a list of 
open _applications_ instead of the taskbar?

The problem is apparent with applications that span more than one window (e.g. 
gimp).

Could something be done?

2. 

Suppose we do the change, i.e. implement a "list of open apps".
So, the user has a list of closed apps (the k-menu) and a list of open apps.

This paradigm forces the user to be aware of which apps are open and which 
ones are closed. Could the user be spared this? Why can't we give a single 
list of apps (i.e. only the k-menu)?

-- 
Maurizio Colucci
http://logicaldesktop.sourceforge.net
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