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

List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: Taskbar -> tabbar?
From:       Luke-Jr <luke-jr () utopios ! org>
Date:       2004-12-29 22:42:23
Message-ID: 200412292242.24447.luke-jr () utopios ! org
[Download RAW message or body]

On Wednesday 29 December 2004 10:19 pm, Maurizio Colucci wrote:
> Luke-Jr wrote:
> > On Wednesday 29 December 2004 9:07 pm, Maurizio Colucci wrote:
> >> * the taskbar is decoupled from kicker and becomes a tab bar (like
> >> the tab bar in konqueror, for tabbed browsing). Each button in the
> >> taskbar becomes a tab.
> >
> > Why decouple it from kicker? You can just add a panel with only the
> > Task/tabbar in it...
>
> I'm not sure how this would look.

The same as a dedicated tabbar, I would expect. Except that you could 
optionally have the Hide button, etc...

> >> * (optional) the "tabified" taskbar has a button which allows
> >> setting the order of the windows: by creation time, by last usage
> >> time. (in the screenshot, this button is shown on the left end of
> >> the tab bar).
> >
> > I think I'd much prefer a tabbar that doesn't sort, but allows me to
> > manually rearrange the order.
>
> A dynamic sort by recent usage would make it easy to continuously toggle
> between two windows. Also, to cycle between three windows. Currently,
> this is difficult if you have, say, 10 windows open.

This is accomplished quite easilly. Resize both windows to use half the screen 
each. :)

>
> I guess the "minimize window" button was invented to make it easy to
> toggle between two windows, but it is not a good solution IMHO.

Actually, I think it is more for getting to the desktop. It's a bad solution, 
I agree, but as a result I simply don't have anything on my desktop.

>
> > When a new tab is added, it goes to the
> > right of its parent window (or the currently selected one for new
> > apps)
>
> I'm curious why you would want to do that.

To keep related tabs together, mainly. I have Konqueror configured to do this 
and it works quite nicely.

> > There's also the possibility of
> > having the same visual effect as the current taskbar. I also see no
> > reason your current idea cannot work unmodified on the bottom of the
> > desktop..
>
> It would look strange to me, but I guess it could.

Don't forget, tabbars can be configured to flip the opening so they looks 
"normal" on the bottom.

>
> >> * only one window is visible at a time.
> >
> > Very annoying.
>
> Why? Your conscious attention can only be focused on one thing at a
> time.

I generally can do at least 3 or 4 things at any one time. Sure, it's somewhat 
mixing short attention spans together, but many CPUs do the same thing for 
what you would also call multiprocessing.

> The point is (IMHO) to make it easy to switch window when you want 
> to change the focus of your attention.

Usually every few seconds or so.

> It must be easy to toggle between two windows. My preferred solution is to
> sort the windows by recent usage. 

I like to sort by task and use some key combos for a certain task.

>
> >> * windows cannot be minimized. The only way to have a window
> >> disappear is to click another one.
> >
> > A "desktop only" tab on the pager?
>
> IMHO, the desktop should not have icons (the trashcan etc should be
> moved to the kicker). However, I guess such a button could be added. :-)

I can agree there... I don't expect everyone would, though.

>
> >> * you loose the option known as "taskbar grouping".
> >
> > You can easilly replace this by having a 3rd tabbar with windows
> > owned by a particular application. Basically, this would make
> > Konqueror's native tabbed browsing support unneccesary since it would
> > automatically have the same effect.
>
> That's a *great* idea, because
>
> 1. all apps would gain tabbed-browsing "for free". Apps like kwrite
> would not need to support for tabbed browsing via code anymore. This
> would simplify the codebases a lot.

Part of why I suggested it. I was just thinking that it could nicely tabbify 
KolourPaint a few minutes ago ;)

>
> 2. it is better than "taskbar grouping", because taskbar grouping forces
> you to select the window each time (one click more), whereas here the
> window manager would remember the last used window.
-- 
Luke-Jr
Developer, Utopios
http://utopios.org/
_______________________________________________
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]