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A new wave of Linux applications

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Re: A new wave of Linux applications

#101

Post by hughrr »

zozbot234 wrote: post #91
hughrr wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeh that worked out really well for the last two platforms who tried it… Microsoft produced apps that no one used because they were horrible on all devices. Apple conceded defeat and we have different interfaces on each device class.

The recent "scaling down" of Linux Gtk+ apps also encompasses "diferent interfaces". Look at some of the convergence examples, and you'll see all sorts of widgets merge, move around and disappear behind "alternate" views as window sizes shrink, then come back as the windows enlarge again. It's a fully responsive interface that merges both styles of interaction seamlessly.

A certain $2tn+ company can't manage to pull that off and actually has different interfaces for each platform. We're making some big assumption that responsive interfaces actually work and don't push poor compromises on all users at the end of the day.

This is another UX death march like flat interfaces without cues and mystery meat.

Re: A new wave of Linux applications

#102

Post by shams93 »

quanticle wrote: post #58

Furthermore, the variety of projects that are enabling convergence on their applications is growing at a fast rate, with KDE, GNOME, Nitrux, Elementary and Jingling among others shifting their interest on mobile-ready and touch-friendly applications for the future of Linux. So, in other words, Linux desktop applications are going the same way as "desktop" applications on Windows and MacOS. I put "desktop" in sarcasm…

This is why we still need html/css for interfaces, so the PWA with wasm still seems to be the best way to distribute an app that works anywhere, or PWA for mobile and electron for desktop with wasm enabling very high performance client features.

Re: A new wave of Linux applications

#103

Post by jcelerier »

bitcharmer wrote: post #68
smoldesu wrote: post #12

History is back around to repeating itself. I'm an avid Linux user (and even a developer who uses GTK pretty regularly), but the recent developments surrounding GNOME, Flatpak and their related libraries has not made me optimistic for the future of Linux applications. GTK4 is really bad. It launched with horrible text rendering issues (still unfixed, 10+ months later), broke compatibility with a number of basic featu…

I've been a gnome user for well over a decade. What's common to hear from people like you who have a good level of understanding the ecosystem and the community is that Gnome developers consistently make shitty design decisions and refuse to take input from a wider audience. What is the reason for no group emerging, forking gnome and doing it the right way? I'd actually pay to support such efforts.

You'd need a really big lot of $s to go beyond RedHat/IBM's budget ; you wouldn't hear as many complaints if GNOME wasn't the default DE on so many distros.

Re: A new wave of Linux applications

#104

Post by [deleted] »

quanticle wrote: post #58

Furthermore, the variety of projects that are enabling convergence on their applications is growing at a fast rate, with KDE, GNOME, Nitrux, Elementary and Jingling among others shifting their interest on mobile-ready and touch-friendly applications for the future of Linux. So, in other words, Linux desktop applications are going the same way as "desktop" applications on Windows and MacOS. I put "desktop" in sarcasm…

[deleted]

Re: A new wave of Linux applications

#105

Post by saturn_vk »

zozbot234 wrote: post #74
rland wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I found a solution for Firfox on Ubuntu MATE: 1. go to about:config 2. find widget.non-native-theme.scrollbar.size.override 3. Change to some pixel value (I have mine set at 26). voila! I do not understand why the default is so thin. Really bucks the trend of every UI element being touch-screen large nowadays!

Because if you have touchscreens you can use two-finger gestures, and if you're on a mouse you'll have no issue targeting a thin widget. It makes a lot of sense from that POV.

You can also use the scroll wheel of the mouse just fine, or the TouchPad scroll gesture. I don't even remember that the scrollbars are invisible anymore

Re: A new wave of Linux applications

#106

Post by nebul »

zozbot234 wrote: post #69
hughrr wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why do we have to suffer it on the desktop though? It’s so damn hard moving windows on gnome without setting something off accidentally. Especially with the shitty touchpad input devices. My mac laptops aren’t touch screens and they get this usable. The whole gnome desktop makes me want to stick forks in my eyes.

> It’s so damn hard moving windows on gnome without setting something off accidentally. I'm not sure, I've never run into this? The headerbar itself, with its labeling text, works just fine as a mouse/touch target.

Yeah, clicking and holding on a header bar button will still allow you to grab the window without firing any action. It's quite handy, especially with a touch pad.

Re: A new wave of Linux applications

#107

Post by goodpoint »

traverseda wrote: post #9

I have to say I just don't like Gnome's design. The shift away from text and towards more and more abstract icons, the "don't theme my app movement", removing features I consider pretty essential like typeahead.... Maybe mobile is where their weird (to me) design choices will finally shine though. Also looking forward to what KDE can accomplish in this space.

The "don't theme my app" movement is really harmful to the application ecosystem.

Especially true for users with partial visual impairments, but also for other users that want to have a consistent style on their desktops or phones.

Re: A new wave of Linux applications

#108

Post by [deleted] »

traverseda wrote: post #9

I have to say I just don't like Gnome's design. The shift away from text and towards more and more abstract icons, the "don't theme my app movement", removing features I consider pretty essential like typeahead.... Maybe mobile is where their weird (to me) design choices will finally shine though. Also looking forward to what KDE can accomplish in this space.

[deleted]

Re: A new wave of Linux applications

#109

Post by hughrr »

quanticle wrote: post #99
hughrr wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeh that worked out really well for the last two platforms who tried it… Microsoft produced apps that no one used because they were horrible on all devices. Apple conceded defeat and we have different interfaces on each device class.

Apple conceded defeat and we have different interfaces on each device class. Apple hasn't conceded defeat. Every release of MacOS becomes more and more like iOS. Apple keeps releasing tools, such as Catalyst, to make it easier for iOS developers to get their apps to run on MacOS. Apple is very much pursuing convergence between iOS and MacOS, to the latter's detriment.

You can run any app on any platform. It's just going to be a shit experience.

Apple want you to get 80% of the way there, then do the last 20% of tailoring it to the device.

There isn't some magic unicorn toolkit which can do that last 20%.

Re: A new wave of Linux applications

#110

Post by kuon »

I love that some work is going into UI design, but there are a few things I really dislike in gnome apps. For example using a hamburger menu instead of a regular menu or icons instead of text for buttons.
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