Re: [gnome-love] GNOME user environment brainstorming

[Sebastian Kapp <lasheimok web de>]

Just my two cent...

On 24 May 2001 23:23:29 +0100, Matthew Walton wrote:

> > Our thought is something like:
> >   http://people.redhat.com/~hp/starthere.png

Looks cool, indeed. I like the idea

> "Start Here" is a horrendous name. Can't think of anything great right 
> now though :-) I'm not good with names.

Leave that to the translators. :)

> > - desktop is for:
> >    - user shortcuts to programs, etc.
> >    - showing removable devices
> >    - Trash, Home, Start Here icons
> >
> > There's some possible confusion about shortcut buttons on panel vs. on
> > desktop, especially since panel icons require single-click, desktop
> > double-click.

Beside the shortcut to programs, the icons on the panel are completely different to those on the desktop. The 
desktop is for the file manager, the panel for the programs (that's not just an idea of mine, that's what it 
currently (mostly) is).

There may be confusion about single/double click, though.
My suggestion: Make single/double click an option for both desktop and panel and make single click the 
default for both.

> > - Remove hide/show arrows on panel

They are already removable. And they're a must! I at least need them. Or do you think of a way of hiding the 
panel without these buttons?

> > - delete all the non-default clock applets

> Please do. They're all awful.

Why?
Ok, I don't use them, too. But I know people who use them and would miss them. They're only an option, right? 
Who doesn't want them, doesn't use them.
But if you don't want them in the Gnome distribution, make an extra package: gnome-clocks. Then noone even 
needs to install them.

> > - Remove or configurably remove folder heading things from Programs
> >  menu, based on Calum's usability test

> Configurably I think.

I have to agree here. Why remove something completely if you can make it an option? Ok, I know the argument 
that too many options aren't wanted by everyone, but if he have user levels anyway, we can make it an expert 
option and the average user will never see it.

> > - Turn off text for toolbar icons by default?

> I'd say no to that... although to be honest, it never looks right with 
> text or without it.

It's not only a question of look. If you're new to computers or at least to a certain task, you won't know 
what these icons mean. You end up moving the mouse over every icon waiting for the tooltext.
In Evolution (where the text is off), I don't use the toolbar, because I don't know what the icons are for. 
Although they seem to be quite clear once you know what they mean.

> > - Downplay web browser aspect; Mozilla/Galeon encouraged for real
> >  browsing. (Alternative: follow Galeon and try to be a full web
> >  browser, but seems like it would cause a lot of clutter.)

> Get rid of it totally.

I vote for the complete counterpart: Go even further! (I'd for myself are waiting to get rid of Galeon. I 
wouldn't use it Nautilus wouldn't be so damned slow.) I want every application run inside Nautilus. Ok, it 
doesn't make sense with every application, not even with every application that view/manipulate files, but I 
just like that kind of working.

And for all who don't like this: Hey, it's an option! Thanx to bonobo you can open the app inside Nautilus as 
well as in its own window. Do just what you want.

Oh, and I want the bookmarks to be just files (instead of menus (or additional to menus, I like options)). I 
don't like to have to open another file manager just to reorganize my bookmarks.


I even want to help to implement all this, but currently I'm kind of new to Gnome programming. I'm playing 
around with some own projects, but they still don't work too well.