Hello, first of all I want to say that I think you people are doing a great job with Gnome-Shell and I am really looking forward to using it on a day-to-day basis. As of now only one thing is a real showstopper for me: the Alt-Tab window switching. Here is why:
Many people have >1 browser windows opened while working, the same for office apps. I for that matter use TiddlyWiki as an application to take notes, another browser window with many tabs (google search, various dictionaries etc.) and have a couple of openoffice wroter windows open (not counting open nautilus window(s)). Now, imagine what I have to go through to switch between those three windows (one OO, and those two Firefox ones)! Instead of hitting tab two times max any given time (that is how it used to work in gnome), I now have to use tab + two arrow keys every second time i want to switch to that other FF window; horrific! This makes window switching a major obstacle for me. When I have more OO windows open (and that happens a lot) the situation gets predictably worse. What is more, the actual vs. other workspaces approach in representing the open windows doesn't represent the topography of your workspaces which amounts to extra confusion. Therefore I think: 1. The window grouping rationale seems very counterproductive to me and I would be extremely happy if there would at least be an option to turn this off 2. +1 to all the people in the lists that suggested that Alt-tab switch should work only for windows on the given workspace - in the end that is what workspaces were invented for, right? If I wanted to switch to a window on another workspace I'd just go to overlay or switch the workspace with the keyboard. 3. it might be nice to implement a "mini overlay" that would work just as the compiz scale plugin but look like just the active workspace in overlay (Alt-Ctl-arrow up?); but that is just a thought, maybe that would be too much. Some more collected thoughts and suggestions: 1. I love the idea that in overlay I can drag an application to the workspace I want it to open in; well, that doesn't work when you use the search function. Why is that? ATM the only way to use that functionality is to add the given application to the Favorites and have a document right there in recent items, otherwise you just have to open/activate a given item, go back into overlay etc. 2. +1 to everybody who said the system tray icons / calendar should work in overlay; otherwise make them dim down as in Alt-F2; ATM this seems confusing 3. The same button that takes you into overlay should get you out of there; why do I have to hit Esc and not just Meta a second time to go back to my desktop? Confusion again. 4. Are there plans to put gnome-global-menu in place of those application placeholders in the panel? As one of the members of the mailing list observed, I know the window that is currently on top and using a large part of the panel to tell me again is a bit too much. But - using that icon to be able to switch to other windows (like in global-menu) while representing the active app's menu next to it, and putting the name of the application only when it is not supported (OO, FF, VLC, KDE apps) would be just beautiful!!!! 5. +1 as to the uselessness of the sidebar - get rid of it. IMO Gnome-Shell + Kupfer (or Gnome-Do, whatever suits one better) is potentially the most efficient graphic user shell, if (or when) the window switching problem is out of the way ;) Ok, this e-mail has gotten much too long already. As I said - thanks for your terrific work, I am convinced GS will be the shell and wanted to contribute with a bit of user experience so I can really love it (please fix the window switcher, please!). All the best, Krzysztof _______________________________________________ gnome-shell-list mailing list [email protected] http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/gnome-shell-list
