Re: [Usability] Idea for HIG: Ctrl+W to close active tab, if no tabs close window

["BJörn Lindqvist" <bjourne gmail com>]

On 4/7/06, Calum Benson <Calum Benson sun com> wrote:
> On Fri, 2006-04-07 at 14:54 +0000, BJörn Lindqvist wrote:
> > I have noticed that there are two quite important keybindings in GNOME
> > that behave inconsistent.
> >
> > First ctrl-w.
>
> (What was the second one, btw...?)

Oops. I realised that discussing two keybindings at once would be two
confusing so I removed one. :)

> I agree we need to be more consistent, but I think there are /possibly/
> two distinct cases: those apps where it is useful to leave the window
> open with no tabs, and those where it is not.  (Although I can't think
> of any in the latter case off-hand, except maybe a terminal or
> something.)

I can only speak for me, but there are only three apps that I use
regularily where Ctrl+W doesn't dismiss the application window: gEdit,
gnome-terminal and file-roller. gnome-terminal is annoying because it
leaves open the last tab and thinks it is special and doesn't allow me
to close it like I can close other tabs. gEdit and file-roller are
extra annoying because they leave open a, for me, totally useless
application window with no document in it.

> It's certainly infuriating to close the last tab in a window in
> preparation for starting a new document, only to realise that you then
> need to go and launch the application again first.  That forces the user

I can only speak for me, but the interaction you described is not how
I work with programs. If I want to create a new document I don't close
all other document tabs in the application first expecting that an
empty application window will remain. Instead I press Ctrl+N.

--
mvh Björn