On 8/10/07, Yen-Ju Chen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > On 8/10/07, Jesse Ross <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: [snip] > > > > Since you mention tabbed shelf, I have a proposal in terms of > > > Etoile desktop. > > > I believe that other than menu bar, > > > we only have space for one other system-level stuff on desktop, > > > either dock or tabbed shelf, not both. > > > Dock is more like application switcher > > > while tabbed shelf is more like application launcher. > > > But they also have some functions from each other. > > > > > > So here is my proposal: > > > 1. The application switcher part is in a Expose-like layer, > > > which can be brought up by "Alt-Tab' or mouse on a corner of > > > screen. > > > That layer hopefully shows all open windows, minimized window, > > > and probably a row of running application icon on the bottom. > > > If possible, the application icon on the bottom also shows some > > > limited information, like unread mail, just like GNUstep app icon. > > > 2. The application launcher or tabbed shelf can stay on the > > > border of desktop. > > > Users can put whatever stuff on it and auto-hide it. > > > > > > As the result of above proposal: > > > 1. If you launch an application which is not on the tabbed shelf, > > > it will not appear on tabbed shelf. In another word, the > > > tabbed shelf > > > will not expand and shrink according to running application. > > > 2. If you launch an application which is also on the tabbed shelf, > > > we can add a hint on it to show this application is already > > > running. > > > 3. Minimized window will disappear from the desktop. It will not go > > > into tabbed shelf. To see minimized window, use 'Alt-Tab' or > > > move mouse to corner to see them. Same applies to hidden > > > application, > > > unless that application is already in tabbed shelf. > > > > > > In short, tabbed shelf (application launcher) is > > > where users organize things themselves. > > > If users do nothing, tabbed self stays static. > > > Users can use their spacial memory to do things fast. > > > Application switcher layers are organized by Etoile > > > according to current running applications. > > > So it changes dynamically and users' spacial memory is less > > > useful here. > > > > > > Any comment ? > > > > This is actually a pretty smart setup -- there is nothing here that > > really strikes me as bad. I would only suggest that the launcher > > allow the possibility for other things to be put there: I personally > > would like to be able to use that as a global space for shortcuts to > > not just applications, but also people, folders, documents, etc. And, > > since this would be a shelf with tabs, I don't see any reason we > > couldn't have "Smart Tabs", which would easily allow you to make a > > tab that queries for the 10 most recently used apps, thus fulfilling > > your request below. > > Surely the tabbed shelf/launcher can hold any *object*. > I focus on applications only because it overlaps with application switcher > which confuses a lot of people during discussion. > > From technical point of view, tabbed shelf/launcher can be a GNUstep > application with limited access to X window system, > like EtoileMenuServer. > But the application-switcher layer will be mostly a X application, > like Azalea and Composite, which use Foundation, but not AppKit.
I just realize that OS X Dock is almost a tabbed shelf without tab ! First, you can dock anything on it, just like tabbed shelf. The only difference is that it automatically adds running application on it, which in some way, is not a bad idea for tabbed shelf. I always think dock as an application switcher as taskbar on X. Now, it actually looks more like tabbed shelf. So the question is that do we want to automatically add running application to our tab shelf ? The idea of tabbed shelf is not very clear to me. If we have smart tab, can users still add objects into smart tab ? If not, some application stays in static tab while running applications stay in another smart tab. It is not a good UI in my own opinions. Same applies to documents where some documents are added by users while others may be added automatically like newly created document. Do we force users to have "applications" tab and "document" tab which only applications or document is allowed ? Or any tab can mix any objects ? If any tab can mix objects, which tab should we add the running applications and opened document ? The most front one ? Then after a while, I can image everything is scattering around the tabs. Then users has to use our Expose-like layer to find running application and open documents because tabbed shelf does not provides a way to look at all windows at once. If users have window hidden, it will not on Expose-like layer and they have to go through all tabbed to find it if it is automatically added. Yen-Ju > > Yen-Ju > > > > > > There is one thing I like, but does fit into this proposal: > > > I would like to have a space to list 10 most frequently used > > > applications. > > > I believe it serves most people's need as application launcher. > > > Since it is automatically organized by the system, > > > it should not stay in tabbed shelf. > > > But on the other hand, not all of them will be running all the time, > > > so they do not deserve to stay in application switcher-layer. > > > Only running applications stay in application switcher-layer. > > > Maybe we can have smart tab on tabbed shelf for such thing, > > > but it will break the notion that tabbed shelf should be organized > > > by users only. > > > > > > Anyway, just a thought for the desktop space. > > > > Good thinking -- keep it up! > > > > > > J. > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Etoile-dev mailing list > > [email protected] > > https://mail.gna.org/listinfo/etoile-dev > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ Etoile-dev mailing list [email protected] https://mail.gna.org/listinfo/etoile-dev
