Re: [Usability] Window List (not the applet)

[Gregory Merchan <merchan phys lsu edu>]

On Sun, Jun 22, 2003 at 01:31:53AM +0200, Reinout van Schouwen wrote:
> Hi Gregory,
> 
> You've brought up an interesting subject...
> 
> On Sat, 21 Jun 2003, Gregory Merchan wrote:
> 
> > With it, the user could perform operations on a single window or a
> > user-selected set of windows.
> 
> Correct. As a matter of fact, the OS/2 user still can. ;)
> 
> > I'll address those before going on to describe the rest. I last used Warp3,
> > so I'm basing this off a screenshot of Warp4's window list and my
> > recollection. Here's the screenshot:
> >
> >   http://www.contact.net/os2/TOUR/01.gif
> 
> Let's set one thing straight first: this is not the default OS/2 window
> list, this is a tweaked window list provided by Stardock's Object Desktop.
> Object Desktop adds lots of power toys to the Workplace Shell that the IBM
> people would never have put in.
> 
> I'd provide you with a screenshot of my own Warp4 partition, if only it
> hadn't bitrotted to the point of not booting anymore. :_(((
> 
> I've done some Googling, and here's a shot of the Warp4 window list
> (titlebar decorations courtesy of the nice X-it utility, ugly colors by
> the bad taste of the user who took the shot):
> 
> http://people.cc.jyu.fi/~juhtolv/screenshot/os2/winlist1.jpg
> 
> There are some more interesting shots in that directory as well.

So IBM never added the buttons to the window list?

I think the buttons should be provided because they're easier to access.


> I'd like to point out that icewm has a window list which looks very much
> inspired by the WPS one. I've took a screenshot of that one myself:
> 
> http://www.cs.vu.nl/~reinout/icewm-windowlist.png
> 
> The entries 'Browsen' and 'Mailen' etc. are names for my virtual desktops.
> Note that this window list also provides an 'All Workspaces' category (not
> visible in the shot) for windows that are sticky.

I didn't mention this in my proposal because I was undecided about it and
was hoping someone would bring it up.  Because the window list, as proposed,
would omit the desktop, panels, and the like, the only sticky windows
would be those the user has stuck. There are two ways these could be
represented, and I don't know which is better.

One way, as IceWM does it, is to have a special branch for the sticky
windows. Another way is to list them on each branch.

When they're on a special branch, you may allow dropping on that branch
and dragging from it to stick and unstick window, respectively.

However, it may run contrary to user expectation to not see a window listed
on a workspace branch when it can be seen on the workspace.

I don't know which way is better.  Using a separate branch raises a few
questions. Should the sticky branch be expanded or collapsed by default?
What should it be called?


> The context menu for the icewm window list looks like this:
> 
> +------------------
> | Show
> | Hide
> | Minimize
> | Move To    >
> |------------------
> | Tile Vertically
> | Tile Horizontally
> | Cascade
> | Arrange
> |------------------
> | Minimize All
> | Hide All
> | Undo
> |------------------
> | Close        >
> +------------------
> 
> In case you're wondering what Undo is doing in there, it lets you put back
> windows to their previous positions when you've arranged or cascaded them
> and you decided you didn't like it.

And what does Arrange do?  Might it be the way to provide MxN layouts?
(See Alan Horkan's message.)

If Undo is desirable, then it makes the automatic dismissal I proposed
 undesirable.


> > I don't know what the Filter button in Warp4's window list does.
> 
> It's an OD thing - I have no idea either. :-]
> 
> > I can't tell from the screenshot whether Warp4 had the right-click menu
> > for listed windows that Warp3 had.
> 
> Yes, it definately has.
> 
> > Details of the proposed window list
> > -----------------------------------
> > The list will be shown in response to clicking mouse button 2 or
> > pressing Ctrl+Esc. It may also be available from a menu or a launcher.
> 
> Ideally I'd like to see it as a complement to the current panel window
> list in the upper right corner. Hm, have to think about that a bit more...

I see I omitted something where I was quoted.  That would be clicking
mouse button 2 _on the freespace of the desktop_, not just anywhere.


Cheers,
Greg