Object Icons-Desktop objects-evolution of applets and desktop icons

[nestor d v <nestordiaz misfotos de>]

Dear Sirs:
I am new to this list, hi you all.
My name is Nestor Diaz, I have made many logos, icons and splash screens
for linux software and mostly for gnome apps (eg. xpad, diasce,
gproftpd, metadistros, tuxcall, gnome-mlview)
I would like to call your atention to the following webpage:
http://slicker.sourceforge.net/info.php
It's little bit approach to the desktop tools: desktop icons, taskbars,
etc.
Well, in fact Object Desktop sofware for windows, has done something
similar years ago http://www.stardock.com/products/odnt/odnt2002.jpg.
Also Litestep www.litestep.net has some modules with similar
functionality.
The idea is to take all advance of icons and space on the desktop to be
more productive. Icons, nowadays mostly don't show any information but
an image relative to the program they start.
By giving it extra stuff they can be more useful. It's similar to the
applets, but, why have an email notification applet and an evolution
icon in the desktop, when the desktop icon could notify itself incoming
mail, etc? This follows the present working line of free software UI
designers about Integrating the Desktop.
Another example is the clock. We have the clock in one place and shows a
calendar, but you can only add tasks using gnome-cal, which is in a menu
entry. I think in the KDE desktop, always shows the kalender icon and
the clock besides. The icon only represents the application, and the
clock shows time and date. Join them together and make the clock show
the tasks with rollovers and launch the kalendar.
For Office Applications, with the (always optional, but on by default)
mouseover (I think this is the proper term) menu will show optional
templates and latests documents edited: mouseover+one click. At the
moment is: click on application icon, click on File, click on recent
entries/click on the recent document name, click on the recent document
name. This is three to four movements, while it can be done in two.
Another great use is for devices: the printer icon may show the number
of files in the queue or if it's inactive, storage may show how full
they are. Webbrowser can show a menu of bookmarks on mouseover and ftp
and download managers can show download status.
For messengers, a menu for buddies and for protocols.
What would really be great for me, in my dreams I dream this, is pie
menus for this functionallity, as it's investigated that diagonal
movements are better remmembered performed by the hand(ergonomy in this)
and shorted than |_ ones.But that's another point.
All this idea would be nothing without an structure to easy create icon
objects, mostly reduced versions of the proper applications(in some
cases). A protocol should be defined in order to use the same
information object-icon<--->proper application: call for status, call
for menu options, call for recent files, etc.
Also the kards idea from the Sliker Project, is a good way to use all
the unused space in taskbars (like the upper one in gnome-desktop)
Of course, if you consider this a good idea Freedesktop.org should be
notified.

Thanks for your time:
Nestor Diaz
nestordiaz misfotos de
augcyl.org
hispalinux.es