Re: Novell Start menu [was Re: [Usability] Thoughts on GNOME and DTP]




--- Alan Horkan <horkana@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Firstly though, a negative. I wish to lobby
strongly against the Windows
XP-style start menu proposed by Novell:



http://www.osnews.com/permalink.php?news_id=13589&comment_id=93581

This appears to be a definite step backwards for
us. The current system is
much better. Do other people share this
sentiment?

Yes and no. I have my reservations and since I find
Windows XP rather
annoying I wouldn't choose that menu layout for
myself (I use the
"Classic" style of start menu when I use windows, I
always change it back
if at all possible). However it will benefit some
users to be able to
configure Gnome in a way that more closely resembles
what they are used
to, it is good to give users what they want. This
menu applet is just
another applet to choose from and is highly unlikely
to become the Gnome
default. There is really very little to talk about
on this topic, and if
I recall correctly the topic was beaten out on the
desktop-devel list when
Novell released their work.

The problem with the XP-style start menu is that it's
enourmous and bloated.
The problem with the current GNOME menubar (apart from
its lack of a name... see other threads!) is that it
doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of the desktop
and applications. Making it a panel item gives the
user and the distros flexibility, but there's a
certain something about it I can't put my finger on.
(I nearly wrote 'finder' there, talk about a Freudian
slip!)

Desktop environments need a central point of access to
launch apps and configure the system. The only ones
that really work from the aesthetic point of view are
the old X desktop menu (but too geeky and
non-discoverable) and the Apple menu, because it
simply flows into the rest of the menu bar.
The current GNOME menubar feels a bit like a sore
thumb... or toe ;)



___________________________________________________________
Win a BlackBerry device from O2 with Yahoo!. Enter now. http://www.yahoo.co.uk/blackberry
_______________________________________________
Usability mailing list
Usability@xxxxxxxxx
http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/usability



Relevant Pages

  • Re: JNLPAppletLauncher java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError
    ... I don't understand where the applet is ... Although I developed this on my windows machine I've now deployed it on my ... VALIDATE: gluegen-rt.dll ... EXTRACT: gluegen-rt.dll ...
    (comp.graphics.api.opengl)
  • JNLPAppletLauncher java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError
    ... I don't understand where the applet is trying to find things eg com.sun.opengl.impl.windows.WindowsGLDrawableFactory. ... Although I developed this on my windows machine I've now deployed it on my linux machine. ... VALIDATE: gluegen-rt.dll ... EXTRACT: gluegen-rt.dll ...
    (comp.graphics.api.opengl)
  • Re: [opensuse] Problem with minmizing windows.
    ... and have problems when I minimize open windows. ... maximize windows from the panel bar. ... Right click the kicker panel and select add applet to panel and you will ... The taskbar applet is where the minimized programs are displayed if your ...
    (SuSE)
  • Re: JNLPAppletLauncher java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError
    ... "When I try to run it from the windows machine". ... It's web hosted on Linux and this test is supposed to act as a new visitor to a site ... I don't understand where the applet is trying to find things eg com.sun.opengl.impl.windows.WindowsGLDrawableFactory. ... EXTRACT: gluegen-rt.dll ...
    (comp.graphics.api.opengl)
  • Re: Silence befell Win2k Pro ...
    ... Windows", I get the file name displayed, and the test playing works. ... I had the file in a different directory, and the Sound applet showed ... Windows does know perfectly well how to play the file and just ...
    (microsoft.public.win2000.general)