Window indicators for Ubuntu ("windicators")
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Window indicators for Ubuntu ("windicators")
1–10 of 37 posts
Re: Window indicators for Ubuntu ("windicators")
#2Finally a sensible explanation for why the window title bar widgets were moved to the left in Ubuntu 10.04.
Re: Window indicators for Ubuntu ("windicators")
#3The end result of a full screen interface with minimal chrome for devices with small screens is great.
It's interesting how we've gone a full circle right back to full screen single tasking apps. Perhaps this is the iPhone's influence?
Maybe we'll finally get the purple button in the next Mac OS X? http://arstechnica.com/apple/reviews/2000/02/mac-os-x-dp3.ar...
Re: Window indicators for Ubuntu ("windicators")
#4Finally a sensible explanation for why the window title bar widgets were moved to the left in Ubuntu 10.04.
It might make more sense for window controls to also be status applets, since not all windows can be minimized, maximized, or closed. For instance, if a particular window is no longer needed and only showing some completed action, the close button could turn green. If there's an error, it could turn red. If a process could take a long time, a progress bar could appear and the minimize button could turn green. If a web browser could show a web page better with fullscreen, the maximize button could turn blue. This would follow the applet colour coding scheme.
One could even add some custom window commands (such as resize to content) to their applications.
Re: Window indicators for Ubuntu ("windicators")
#5Finally a sensible explanation for why the window title bar widgets were moved to the left in Ubuntu 10.04.
It might make more sense for window controls to also be status applets, since not all windows can be minimized, maximized, or closed. For instance, if a particular window is no longer needed and only showing some completed action, the close button could turn green. If there's an error, it could turn red. If a process could take a long time, a progress bar could appear and the minimize button could turn green. If a we…
That sounds like a recipe for every app doing it differently, and lots of confusion.
Re: Window indicators for Ubuntu ("windicators")
#6im all for inovation. But his example was the worst.
Removing the status bar from the browser and using more space on the title?
Ive been using no title on my browser (go gtkrc) even before chrome. Because the tabs do the same work as the title (display page title) plus added funtionality. So its only natural to remove the title bar. Not add stuff there.
Also everyone uses xterm titles as a status bar.
Re: Window indicators for Ubuntu ("windicators")
#7Finally a sensible explanation for why the window title bar widgets were moved to the left in Ubuntu 10.04.
It might make more sense for window controls to also be status applets, since not all windows can be minimized, maximized, or closed. For instance, if a particular window is no longer needed and only showing some completed action, the close button could turn green. If there's an error, it could turn red. If a process could take a long time, a progress bar could appear and the minimize button could turn green. If a we…
>since not all windows can be minimized, maximized, or closed.
This is one of the worst usability problems on the desktop. Granted, it doesn't show up in the "default configuration" but do a little thing like change the text size and that dialog box that won't let you resize suddenly is completely broken.
Though I suppose this is part of a bigger problem, that changing fonts is by design a "power user" feature.
Re: Window indicators for Ubuntu ("windicators")
#8The end result of a full screen interface with minimal chrome for devices with small screens is great. It's interesting how we've gone a full circle right back to full screen single tasking apps. Perhaps this is the iPhone's influence? Maybe we'll finally get the purple button in the next Mac OS X? http://arstechnica.com/apple/reviews/2000/02/mac-os-x-dp3.ar...
It could be the iPhone. Or just Apple's old interfaces. Or tiling window managers, whose philosophy is to maximize screen usage by default. For instance, the Netbook edition smart panel example would integrate beautifully with Xmonad.
Re: Window indicators for Ubuntu ("windicators")
#9im all for inovation. But his example was the worst. Removing the status bar from the browser and using more space on the title? Ive been using no title on my browser (go gtkrc) even before chrome. Because the tabs do the same work as the title (display page title) plus added funtionality. So its only natural to remove the title bar. Not add stuff there. Also everyone uses xterm titles as a status bar.
Or, you could look at the Netbook Edition smart panel, which eliminate the need for a title bar. Unless you don't use a global status bar at all, this could do.
Re: Window indicators for Ubuntu ("windicators")
#10I am not sure why this particular UI layout (and the infamous left-side buttons were at all necessary). There is another equally viable alternative, without all the complex re-engineering needed for "client side window decorations".
let the window controls and buttons stay as they were pre-lucid. The left side button – the window control menu – will glow/shine when the application window has updated a status. Clicking on the window control button will show a drop down that has (in addition to the “To Desktop”,”Resize”, “Maximize”, etc.) an alerts subsection. Clicking on the events in the alerts subsection will behave exactly the way windicators work in the above design.
Cons: rather than have all indicators in front of you at all times, you have to take the bother of clicking the window control button (or press alt-spacebar). Pros: My mother doesnt need to be puzzled about what the green shiny button is supposed to indicate, in the drop down, I can have text as well as an icon.