If you want to go further on minimal design check out Olauncher https://github.com/tanujnotes/Olauncher Available on both fdroid and play store
One thing I love is the automatic app launch when there is a single match in the search panel.
Niagara Launcher
61–70 of 102 posts
Re: Niagara Launcher
#62Earlier quoted context omitted.
You can pay for free and open source software. I do it to support FOSS developers and maintainers. software example: Krita https://store.steampowered.com/app/280680/Krita/ source code under GPLv3 https://invent.kde.org/graphics/krita game example: Shapez https://store.steampowered.com/app/1318690/shapez/ source code under GPLv3 https://github.com/tobspr-games/shapez.io
If people paying for FOSS was the norm, we wouldn't have a post on the FOSS developers not making money on the front page every 2 months. I don't blame people for not going this route.
I wish people would pay for FOSS :'(
Re: Niagara Launcher
#63This launcher has solved launchers imo, organization barely matters when if you simply remember the name of the app, you can get there in under a second easily. Sometimes I forget something was in my favorites and just use the scroll by habit, its just that big a non issue.
Your thoughts about the Niagara Launcher and how it solves your problems, is quite interesting to me. You mention you simply remember the name, I find that difficult for me. I don't remember whether it's "Google Maps" or "Maps", if it's "Headphones" or "Sony Headphones". I have tried a few times to get into the Niagara launcher, but without luck. It's too mm. "sterile" for me?. I really like being able to group apps…
I've been using Niagara for years and I like it very much, but the scrollable list is my least favorite feature for the same reasons you mentioned.
To access an app I always swipe up, tap the first two letters and Enter.
Re: Niagara Launcher
#64Earlier quoted context omitted.
If people paying for FOSS was the norm, we wouldn't have a post on the FOSS developers not making money on the front page every 2 months. I don't blame people for not going this route.
You assume them being commercial would imply their success.
No I don't.
Re: Niagara Launcher
#65This a good place to plug my favorite launcher? Search-based launchers in general are something I just cannot live without nowadays, there's way less friction there with openint apps and such. Kvæsitso is the one I use currently: https://kvaesitso.mm20.de/ . The design is really good, and the widget support is nice. Search is not as perfect ass the classic KISS, though: http://kisslauncher.com/ .
Wow, thank you for this. I'd not heard of Kvæsitso until now. I'm enjoying it!
Re: Niagara Launcher
#66Earlier quoted context omitted.
Honestly it's the one thing I don't miss about Android. I always felt compelled to tinker with things a lot more than I should've.
Yeah, and equal time spent futzing with your launcher is better spent tinkering with a raspberry pi or similar. At least then you may develop a skill. Android customization is sort of like junk food - enjoyable in the moment, but not meaningfully improving your life.
> Android customization is sort of like junk food - enjoyable in the moment, but
not meaningfully improving your life.
Hard disagree. I assume you have some technical background, that's why you consider it not meaningful. Go speak to someone that knows nothing about it, which is the majority of the people I assume, I'm pretty sure they learn a lot in the way.
Re: Niagara Launcher
#67I'm using and enjoying Niagara on my Android phone. If I were to switch to iOS, is there any setting or app provides a comparable minimalistic experience?
Re: Niagara Launcher
#68I really appreciate how Android made the “graphical shell” a user-replaceable component of the OS. Back in the day, I used Nova Launcher and an icon pack to completely re-theme my home screen. I felt so cool. I encourage anyone curious to take a look at the following subreddit for some neat themes that users have created for themselves over the years using custom launchers: https://www.reddit.com/r/androidthemes/top/…
Do you have any recommendations for launchers to check out? I don’t daily drive Android but keep a couple devices on that side of the fence around for dev purposes and have been underwhelmed with the options I’ve tried so far. I was expecting something more like the old Windows alternative shells (which could differ radically from Explorer) but third party Android launchers don’t seem all that different from what devices come with and overall kind of samey, either being app grids or lists.
Re: Niagara Launcher
#69Aw. I was really hoping this would be a game where you try to go over the falls in a barrel.
Re: Niagara Launcher
#70That's a bit too streamlined for me. I don't group apps by their first letter, I group them by purpose of convenience. I need a lot more than maybe ten favorites on screen and having to scroll or go into a menu to find anything beyond that is just a waste of time. Yes, there are folders but other than with Nova Launcher you can't see which apps are in there unless you open one. I like being able to see a notification…
I guess the design of the launcher is meant to make you more intentional about using your phone by adding friction. Reduced notifications, smaller selection of favorite apps to choose from, and search for everything else. And it's not on the extreme end of inconvenience for search-oriented launchers.