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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: Simplified windowing mode
From:       Lubos Lunak <l.lunak () suse ! cz>
Date:       2005-08-08 15:25:37
Message-ID: 200508081725.37820.l.lunak () suse ! cz
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On Saturday 06 of August 2005 12:10, Maurizio Colucci wrote:
> Hello again,
>
> From Mattias Ettrich http://tinyurl.com/7g2ur:
>
>     Nobody likes to do window management. Wirth was right, although few
>     people believed him when he designed Oberon. Users seem to go a long
>     way to avoid having to adjust a windows position or size manually. This
>     isn't just untrained users, this is everybody.
>
> I agree but, on the other hand, personally I don't like watching the
> world from a tiny window either. This makes me feel claustrophobic.
> That's why I only use maximized window. Heck, even for file-open
> dialogs, the first thing I do is maximize them (and I hate the fact
> that gnome dialogs don't have a maximized button).

 KWin now has also a maximizing placement policy, so you can have this. To 
handle certain cases a deliberate use of the window-specific settings may 
help (like, saving a geometry for some windows, or 
Alt+F3/Configure/Window-specific settings -> New, second tab, leaving only 
Dialog selected, fifth tab, and enabling ignoring of requested geometry helps 
with dialogs).

 You may also get almost the same effect with creating a window-specific 
setting for all windows that initially makes them maximized.

>
> This is how I use the computer, and how any Windows nonpower user does
> (as far as I have seen). This is not surprising since our conscious
> attention can only concentrate on one task at a time.
>
> So here's the idea: could we supply KWin with a "simplified mode"
> where all the windows are maximized, and you can only see one window
> at a time? You switch the active window with the taskbar.

 Hmm, I'm afraid that's more of a "too dumbed down mode", I don't think it 
would work that well in practice. You can already emulate this somewhat with 
KWin, so just try it and see.

 My current battle plan for KWin for KDE4 is implementing some kind of 
Ion-like splits with tabs. Splits should reduce the need for manual window 
management and tabs probably scale better than virtual desktops. That said, 
that's just a plan, and only my plan. I'm open to ideas, and if there's 
anybody feeling like helping with KWin, you're welcome at kwin@kde.org .

>
> Also, we could introduce a guideline in the HIG that states that KDE
> apps and dialogs must be usable in that mode. (cough, GIMP...)

 Wishful thinking ...

-- 
Lubos Lunak
KDE developer
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