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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: Allocating a virtual desktop automatically [was: thoughts on
From:       Maurizio Colucci <seguso.forever () tin ! it>
Date:       2004-09-01 8:06:11
Message-ID: 200409011006.11478.seguso.forever () tin ! it
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On Wednesday 01 September 2004 01:51, Aaron J. Seigo wrote:
> On Tuesday 31 August 2004 04:55, Maurizio Colucci wrote:
> > However, as a last resort, we could check if the windows overlap! If they
> > do, then probably they are not meant to be viewed together, so we put
> > them in the taskbar. If they don't, we group them in the same taskbar
> > button. Not bad.
>
> except that overlapping doesn't mean much. small displays, complex apps,
> etc all create situations in which windows overlap. gimp is a great example
> of an app where i often get overlapping windows (e.g. the brushes and the
> layers windows) even though they belong together. so the distinction you
> are making is completely artificial and not consistent. i'm not sure how
> users would react to this in practice ....

While I don't agree much with it (the user could rearrange his toolwindows not 
to be overlapping), there is another reason why the required logic can be 
much more difficult: You can open two pictures in the same gimp instance. The 
two pictures will persumably overlap with one another, but not with the 
auxiliary gimp windows.

Then the taskbar has to create TWO taskbar buttons for a single instance. Each 
of the buttons brings on top ONE picture, and all the auxiliary windows.

This breaks my proposal that there should be one button per instance. 

> > > the only thing i'd add here is what about the use case where you wish
> > > to use the taskbar to switch to one of the non-document gimp windows?
> > > this is a fairly common case because they get hidden behind other
> > > windows fairly easily.
> >
> > No problem here. As we said, the new taskbar would only show one "gimp"
> > button. But as soon as you click the button, ALL THREE gimp windows are
> > brought on top. (this is automatic if kde has created a virtual desktop
> > for them, otherwise we just put the necessary logic in the taskbar applet
> > to bring all 3 on top).
>
> again, this doesn't work if the windows overlap.
>
> someone mentioned macOS X does things similar to this and i have to say
> that MacOS's handling of multiwindow apps is probably THE most annoying
> thing about MacOS. this is one reason everyone creams over expose on the
> mac platform: there simply is no other useful window selection system
> because their app-centric method no longer makes sense in 2004.

Now I am really wondering what is your vision, exactly :-)

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