[haiku] Re: Suggestions to change double click on window title behaviour
- From: Johan Aires Rastén <johan@xxxxxxxx>
- To: haiku@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 19:03:14 +0100
On Tue, Nov 3, 2009 at 10:19 AM, Ryan Leavengood <leavengood@xxxxxxxxx>wrote:
>
>
> Desktop Applets -> LaunchBox
>
> I've got mixed feelings for the launchbox. Mostly it's implementational
stuff that could be fixed, if people agreed that they are problems :) For
example it's a little fiddly to drop a new program between the existing ones
to add it to the bar (which btw doesn't work at all for me, the program
isn't added even though the pointer changes to +) and I think it would fit
better with general Haiku concepts if it was a replicant?
I don't think I fully agree with it's visual language either. Is the dotted
area on top an indicator that this is a place where you can drop stuff? And
just so that nobody says "it's just because you're from the Linux/Windows
world", in reality that kind of marking would hint that this is something
you can grab and move around. Handles etc commonly have dentations to give
better grip. IMO it would be better to draw the launchbox so that it looks
lowered or hollowed out or in some way else that better identifies it as a
kind of container. Gray slabs are used in lots of places in the UI and afaik
you usually aren't supposed drop stuff on them.
When you've started one of your favourite programs you have two
representations for it, both the icon in launchbox and as a box under the
deskbar. A lot of apps only need once instance and thus making the launchbox
icon a waste of space while running. So combining these two functions makes
a lot of sense to me. However, importing this feature to Haiku will probably
require a bit more thought than plain compying of OSX or Win7.
I think my main gripe with Launchbox and Workspaces tool is that they make
my desktop look cluttered. They also have a tendency to end up behind other
windows. But I suppose it's matter of taste if you prefer a clean working
area or not.
I am really not sure what you mean here, as Tracker and the BFS allow
> you to organize documents as well as any other OS. There really
> haven't been any advances in that area since BeOS R5 was released.
> Though there was an idea for a Haiku "Sorting Chute" application a
> while ago that sorts files based on type
> (http://www.haiku-os.org/glass_elevator/rfc/sorting_chute) and the
> developer DarkWyrm (aka Jon Yoder) developed a prototype:
> http://www.haiku-os.org/blog/darkwyrm/2008-08-09/r2_r_d_the_filer
>
> Sounds like a cool project. Gotta check it out later
Here are a few things I'd like to see:
- Easily switch between thumbnails view and detailed list view. A must when
trying to find a photo.
- A button in tracker to open/close a preview window that gives me
information about the currently selected file(s). In case of an image this
might be a preview + EXIF informaiton. For a movie or song this might a
simplistic mediaplayer. And so on.. Obviously I could double click each
file, see if it's the one I'm looking for and close the player if it wasn't
but that would be very inefficient.
- Some way to easily access documents I'm currently working with, without
physically moving them. Maybe it could work if all files had a "favourite"
attribute, like the star in gmail, google docs etc. Could be problematic
when multiple users are implemented though.
- Favourites in Tracker too, not just file dialog.
- Automatically adding information from a file (EXIF for photos, ID3 for
mp3...) to attributes. Would ease the transition to databased file
management.
- Personally I don't like that the desktop is handled like a common folder.
This probably added some functionality at one point in history but I think
it's time we rethinked this. As I've said before (maybe it was in the forum)
I'm no big fan of using the desktop for everything and the kitchen sink.
It's better to analyze what people would consider putting there and why (ex.
files that need to accessed soon, favourite programs) and try to come up
with something better. IMO it would make more sense if I drag a photo to the
desktop that I got it as background, rather than the actual file being moved
to the desktop folder.
- Streamlined workflow to search files. The Haiku search indeed looks
powerful but I think this could be a more central tool in how users work
with their files if it didn't require so many actions to use. I'm not saying
it's bad, just that it could be better.
Well yes, I could really see Haiku taking the lead in this area if Filer and
Tracker (search) are fine polished and integrated in all programs that deal
with files. When you want to open a file you use the query system (it would
then IMO need to offer common, favourite, predefined or imported queries and
a sleek UI to minimize the need for typing) and when you want to save
something you use the filer (which might need to be extended or complemented
with something to better support projects and different files of the same
type. Photos I've taken should probably go somewhere else than one I've
downloaded etc). Beats navigating directory trees :)
I haven't yet looked at the Gnome Shell but in general I don't see
> what is so lacking in the current workspace management in Haiku.
>
I admit that the workspace tool might be more useful than I've given it
credit for, now that I noticed I can use it to move windows :) However, as I
mentioned above I don't like that it contributes to desktop clutter. I think
it's problematic that I want this window to be big when I'm moving apps
between workspaces or if I'm looking for an application while when I'm not
using it or if I'm switching between workspaces I'd like it small. I don't
have some solution to this atm, but I'm sure it could be improved in some
way.
If someone is so superficial as to dismiss something because "it looks
> old" they probably wouldn't try Haiku to begin with. Plus this whole
> "Haiku looks old" thing is not a fact, it is the opinion of some
> people. One person's "old" is another's sleek and minimal. One
> person's "new" is another's awful, gaudy, ugly and hard to use.
>
When I say it looks old I mean that I think it visually looks a lot like
OS:es did 10 years ago (Win2k, AmigaOS 3.x, Mac OS 9, BeOS :)). With a new
OS I'd be referring to the latest versions of OS X, Ubuntu and Windows. Of
course anyone's free to disagree but I don't think that statement leaves a
lot of wiggle room. I didn't mean new = good and old = bad.
I have at least said that some effects are useful and can be done
> tastefully. It is just important not to sacrifice usability for the
> sake of aesthetics. A computer is a tool, not a work of art. Of course
> tools can be beautiful (I certainly appreciate a well made machine,
> whether a car, motorcycle, drill or computer) but they still must
> perform the job they were designed for.
>
Of course basic functionality should never be sacrificed, but that's not
what I'm asking for. I just want to spark a little healthy discussion about
UI design (Well technicially I want the ability to choose the level of
effects/styling in Haiku. I also believe that it might help the spread of
Haiku if the default is set above extreme minimum but that's open for debate
:)).
To me efficiency means that I, the user, is productive and not technical
stuff like saving RAM and a few cpu cycles. I'm more productive when I have
an environment that I find inspiring and beautiful. Of course I wouldn't
want something that slows opening a window by several seconds but I could
probably spare 0,1 seconds if I think it's more aesthically pleasing.
>
> Now with all this said, I think there are still many UI improvements
> that could be made in Haiku. It is still in development. I just resent
> the automatic knee jerk reaction that it looks old because it isn't
> shiny or whatever the latest trend is. If anyone has specific
> suggestions or wants to create mock-ups for an improved Haiku GUI, we
> are up for suggestions. The current updated look was based partially
> on a mock-up and a patch created by some in the Haiku web-site forums.
> But maybe it could use some more updating.
>
>
I was going to make a mockup inspired by the Gaia 09 design (google image
search if interested.. Different interpretations have been made for Linux,
Mac and Win) but I can't work with GIMP and I don't have time to learn it
better. Don't think it would be perfect as default Haiku theme, but I think
it looks pretty slick.
//Johan
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