Three essential improvements for Hardy

[davidsiegel]

Three things I'd like to see improved in Hardy:


Artwork; more specifically, improve the default theme---especially the icons. Can we get a complete set of scalable icons that conform to Tango project guidelines? We have so much work to do on artwork, and I think the next LTS release is an excellent place to rally for artwork improvement. Also, eliminate the bottom panel.
Improved trackpad support. People who try Ubuntu on my suggestion complain about poor trackpad performance the most. Trackpads should ignore accidental taps/scrolling while the keyboard is being used; two-finger tap should be interpreted as right click; two fingers should be used to scroll.
Madwifi support out of the box for Atheros wifi cards.

[smartboyathome]

Artwork; more specifically, improve the default theme---especially the icons. Can we get a complete set of scalable icons that conform to Tango project guidelines? We have so much work to do on artwork, and I think the next LTS release is an excellent place to rally for artwork improvement. Also, eliminate the bottom panel.

I like the default icons. I do see Hardy as a point where we polish the themes off though.

Improved trackpad support. People who try Ubuntu on my suggestion complain about poor trackpad performance the most. Trackpads should ignore accidental taps/scrolling while the keyboard is being used; two-finger tap should be interpreted as right click; two fingers should be used to scroll.

You can edit your xorg.conf to enable this. I can't remember how, but I am pretty sure I saw it on somewhere like the Gentoo Wiki. I find this unnecessary, however. I have my touchpad configured to have a bottom right tap = right click and the scroll pad scrolls.

[bruce89]

Three things I'd like to see improved in Hardy:


Artwork; more specifically, improve the default theme---especially the icons. Can we get a complete set of scalable icons that conform to Tango project guidelines? We have so much work to do on artwork, and I think the next LTS release is an excellent place to rally for artwork improvement. Also, eliminate the bottom panel.


The theme you're looking for is the GNOME icon theme.

Ubuntulooks needs replaced with something that's maintained.

Why is removing the bottom panel advantagous?

[davidsiegel]

I like the default icons. I do see Hardy as a point where we polish the themes off though.

You can edit your xorg.conf to enable this. I can't remember how, but I am pretty sure I saw it on somewhere like the Gentoo Wiki. I find this unnecessary, however. I have my touchpad configured to have a bottom right tap = right click and the scroll pad scrolls.

I don't have a problem with the way the default icons look as much as I do with the fact that they're not scalable. I'm developing an application right now that blows icons up to 80px. GNOME and Tango icons look great, but Ubuntu icons look horrible! Many of them are missing or missing scalable versions.

I can go on a Gentoo wiki and edit my xorg.conf, and apparently so can you. Should this be required of all users? I don't want to have this conversation with novice users: "Oh yeah, Ubuntu is so easy to use - except if you want to use a trackpad. For that you're going to have to Google to find a page on Gentoo forums --- what's Gentoo? Nevermind that. Just vim your xorg and..." Are you kidding?

Why is removing the bottom panel advantagous?

Why use two when one will do? I feel that it will make things much simpler and make better use of precious screen space. I've seen people get confused about having two panels. Trash can needs to be larger and maybe on the desktop. Maybe there should be a button for Compiz scale instead of the window list (eventually).

[smartboyathome]

I don't have a problem with the way the default icons look as much as I do with the fact that they're not scalable. I'm developing an application right now that blows icons up to 80px. GNOME and Tango icons look great, but Ubuntu icons look horrible! Many of them are missing or missing scalable versions.

If there are scalable versions for the original icon set, it should be simpler to update Ubuntulooks with scalable. The only reason it hasn't been done is because Ubuntulooks isn't maintained. :(

I can go on a Gentoo wiki and edit my xorg.conf, and apparently so can you. Should this be required of all users? I don't want to have this conversation with novice users: "Oh yeah, Ubuntu is so easy to use - except if you want to use a trackpad. For that you're going to have to Google to find a page on Gentoo forums --- what's Gentoo? Nevermind that. Just vim your xorg and..." Are you kidding?

There was talk before about this being included in the mouse preferences, what happened to it I do not know. It SHOULD be included in it, though.

Why use two when one will do? I feel that it will make things much simpler and make better use of precious screen space. I've seen people get confused about having two panels. Trash can needs to be larger and maybe on the desktop. Maybe there should be a button for Compiz scale instead of the window list (eventually).

I use two, I have the bottom one autohidden, and the top one stays how it is. I don't want to combine them into one simply because my window list gets very big, and that is the same reason I don't use the scale plugin.

[bruce89]

Why use two when one will do? I feel that it will make things much simpler and make better use of precious screen space. I've seen people get confused about having two panels. Trash can needs to be larger and maybe on the desktop. Maybe there should be a button for Compiz scale instead of the window list (eventually).

Why have one when you can have 0?

Seriously, how are people confused about there being 2 panels? Not being like Windows isn't a valid argument.

[gruvsyco]

Not being like Windows isn't a valid argument.

Neither is being different for the sake of not being like Windows.

[davidsiegel]

Why have one when you can have 0?

Seriously, how are people confused about there being 2 panels? Not being like Windows isn't a valid argument.

I said "why use two when one will do." If zero panels will do, then I would agree with you; however, zero clearly will not do. Did I just make a rhyme or two?

Think seriously about what the panel is for and how many your average user needs. I don't understand what you said about Microsoft. I don't really care what they do with Windows. I haven't used it in 8 years. I really think consolidating to one panel (I like the top!) is a wise move; I want to see as much as my desktop picture and applications windows as possible.

[bruce89]

Neither is being different for the sake of not being like Windows.

The GNOME panel layout is like that because of usability tests.

Anyway, the old gnome-panel may be replaced with Gimmie in 2.22 - http://arstechnica.com/journals/linux.ars/2007/10/02/gnome-2-22-planning-gimmie-panel-applet-proposed-for-inclusion

I really think consolidating to one panel (I like the top!) is a wise move; I want to see as much as my desktop picture and applications windows as possible.

24px is unlikely to make much difference.

Just layout your panels the way you want, there's no need to get everyone to lay it out the way you do.

[davidsiegel]

The GNOME panel layout is like that because of usability tests.

I'm sorry but I think this is only half correct. Look at SUSE and OS X---NOBODY conducts more usability tests than Apple (Novell is a far behind but conducts more of these studies---I only assume---than Canonical). Both of these companies use only one panel/menubar in their distro/OS.

[davidsiegel]

24px is unlikely to make much difference.

Just layout your panels the way you want, there's no need to get everyone to lay it out the way you do.

24px does make a considerable difference on a small screen.

I'm not making this suggestion because I want everyone to be like me, but because I think it will be better for more people than the two-panel configuration. Don't try to make this personal.

[smartboyathome]

I'm sorry but I think this is only half correct. Look at SUSE and OS X---NOBODY conducts more usability tests than Apple (Novell is a far behind but conducts more of these studies---I only assume---than Canonical). Both of these companies use only one panel/menubar in their distro/OS.

OSX uses one panel and ONE DOCK. The dock acts similar to the bottom panel, as it contains the window list, and (I think, if I can remember correctly) it will also contain the spaces switcher.

[bruce89]

Just do what you want, and I'll keep things the way they are, I'm leaving it at that.

See https://blueprints.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+spec/only-one-gnome-panel anyway

[davidsiegel]

OSX uses one panel and ONE DOCK. The dock acts similar to the bottom panel, as it contains the window list, and (I think, if I can remember correctly) it will also contain the spaces switcher.

Good point. The bottom GNOME panel is a far cry from the OS X dock though. Maybe one day AWN could be considered as a replacement? I use a launcher instead of a dock, though.

Not that it matters, but I'm pretty sure the Leopard dock will NOT show spaces---instead, clicking on an open application that resides on another space will simply switch to that space.

[smartboyathome]

Not that it matters, but I'm pretty sure the Leopard dock will NOT show spaces---instead, clicking on an open application that resides on another space will simply switch to that space.

Ok, my mistake. I get AWN and OSX's dock confused all the time now. Also, AWN depends on a compositor, maybe in Hardy+1 (once compiz is stable enough, which is one of hardy's main goals), it might be included, but right now it isn't stable enough for inclusion.

[Zdravko]

Okay. Hope to see these improvements in Hardy.

[mrjswalker]

1. yes
2. yes
3. yes

[Zdravko]

1. yes
2. yes
3. yes
Nice way of expressing agreement :)

[adamorjames]

I use two, I have the bottom one autohidden, and the top one stays how it is. I don't want to combine them into one simply because my window list gets very big, and that is the same reason I don't use the scale plugin.

Same as me :D except the scale plugin, what is that?
EDIT: I change the autohidden config to make the panel REALLY hide.

[FranMichaels]

Good point. The bottom GNOME panel is a far cry from the OS X dock though. Maybe one day AWN could be considered as a replacement? I use a launcher instead of a dock, though.

Not that it matters, but I'm pretty sure the Leopard dock will NOT show spaces---instead, clicking on an open application that resides on another space will simply switch to that space.

I use AWN, and I'm happy to say that it behaves like that, although I have a window switcher at the top gnome panel and if I scroll (on my touchpad) on the desktop.

Anyway, do you have a mockup or screenshot how things are with one panel? If you find a really simple and not cluttered setup, maybe it's time for it to be considered for the default.

As for AWN, I have it shown all the time, but it will hide behind maximized windows, the moment the mouse touches the bottom, it shows up. Very easy, non-intrusive, attractive, etc. The only issue is that everyone would need compositing if it was the default...

Lastly, are you using Gutsy?
I have a synpatics touchpad, I have vertical scroll, and can use two fingers for middle click.

Under System -> Preferences -> Mouse

There is now a touchpad tab, also allows configuring tap to click. It sounds like you would just need a few options to configure the multiple finger thing and you'd be all set.

P.S. Very good idea about the touchpad being ignored during typing. I've run into issues with that every now and then.

:KS

[smartboyathome]

Same as me :D except the scale plugin, what is that?
EDIT: I change the autohidden config to make the panel REALLY hide.

Same here. The Scale plugin is a plugin for Compiz Fusion which scales all your open windows down so that you can see them on the same screen, and then allows you to choose one.

[smartboyathome]

Lastly, are you using Gutsy?
I have a synpatics touchpad, I have vertical scroll, and can use two fingers for middle click.

Under System -> Preferences -> Mouse

There is now a touchpad tab, also allows configuring tap to click. It sounds like you would just need a few options to configure the multiple finger thing and you'd be all set.

P.S. Very good idea about the touchpad being ignored during typing. I've run into issues with that every now and then.

:KS

I have tried it, and it doesn't show a check box for two fingered anything. :(

[FranMichaels]

I have tried it, and it doesn't show a check box for two fingered anything. :(

I know, I mean the Ubuntu devs should add the options there :)
Sorry if my post wasn't clear.