MUST Desktop Improvements

[usien]

Every professional (and individual) OS has a unique desktop and the desktop is the heart of an OS.The desktop can make or break an OS.In my view since, Ubuntu is a professional and unique OS, so should it's desktop be unique as well.I am not saying that they should develop a new desktop but i am suggesting these improvements, which in my view can make it much better and unique.The Ubuntu desktop, should at least not look like the default Gnome desktop as in every other Gnome distribution, since Ubuntu is different from all of them and is unique in its own right.

Panels
The default Gnome panels do not have a very pleasant look and feel.I know people who don't want to use Ubuntu because of this.In my view Ubuntu should have a single tasbar like panel with it's own look and feel and a unique menu as well.If that's not possible we should at least get rid of the flat, dated look of these panels and have some gradient colors in the background by default.
Another glitch that bugs me is when i have to add a short cut to these panels.In Windows and Xubuntu (XFCE) when you add a shortcut to the panel and when you move it, there is a minimum amount of space between each icon so that they do not look cluttered.In Ubuntu (Gnome) on the other hand you can move them freely and have to adjust the space between the icons manually, which to say the least looks very awkward.
The final glitch that i find in these panels lies in the notification area.The icons in the notification area are not all equal in size.It looks very odd to have icons of different sizes in the notification area (does not happen in Windows).

Desktop
This is more of a bug than a feature request.Try inserting a cd and a usb flash drive before starting Ubuntu and you will see that some of the icons on the desktop are overlapped so everytime this happens to me i have to right click on the desktop and then click Clean up by name to restore the order.Also i think 'Clean up by name does not sound a very good popup menu option.I think this option should be renamed to something like 'Organize Desktop' (refresh in windows).There has to be a mechanism that automatically organizes the icons when Ubuntu starts up.

Consistency
Being a programmer myself and having special interest in GUI's, i have noticed a few inconsistencies in the UI.For example when you right click on the desktop, on the menu that appears there are icons for some options and no icons for some of them.I think it looks very odd.We should either have no icons for any option or icons for all options.Another example is that the menu(System menu) icon of Synaptic does not match it's window title icon.I have seen both these inconsistencies for some other applications as well (even menus within an application have icons for some options only).

Theme
The theme overall looks satisfactory except for the window border.I think that the window border looks quite dated now and should be updated with a more stylish one that can also take better advantage of compiz (like transparency etc).

I know some people would say these are very small things and don't matter much but in my view improving these small things makes a big impact on the overall outlook of an OS.

[Paul820]

Panels:
You can delete a panel so you only have one. You can also change the panels size and change the panels background to anything you like. Design you own panel image if you want.

Desktop:
File a bug report https://bugs.launchpad.net/

Consistency:
These are little things that will be sorted as ubuntu grows. It's not that much of a problem.

Theme:
This keeps coming up time and time again. Everyone has different opions on what is the best theme for ubuntu so it's very hard to have a theme that everyone will like. A theme you might think is an absolutely fantastic, to someone else it is horrible. The theme can be changed along with everything else in linux.

[Hairy_Palms]

i agree with your comment about consistency and the Desktop, but the panel clours are to do with the theme, two panels if much better imo and the notification icons are all the same size here

[overlord.gaurav]

usien, I agree with you for the Desktop and Consistency part.
I disagree with you for the single panel part, beacuse, Ubuntu gives you an easy modification option. Yes, there should be a bit more of effects for the pannel. And something like AWN must be a part of the pannel. I also disagree with you for the theme part because everyone has a different taste for different things. But, developers can add some good background/boot images.

I have used Gentoo's Live CD. And I really enjoyed their effects/images/splash-screen/loading style/etc.

[usien]

the panels are all customizable and some people might like them but i am talking about making Ubuntu unique and individual.It should stand out of the crowd.You can find these panels in all of the Gnome distributions, even the worst ones.
the window border should be updated so that most of the users like it.

[smartboyathome]

the panels are all customizable and some people might like them but i am talking about making Ubuntu unique and individual.It should stand out of the crowd.You can find these panels in all of the Gnome distributions, even the worst ones.

Yes, it is similar to other GNOME distrobutions, but Ubuntu shouldn't strive to be different to the point where it is making bad decisions, which is the feeling I get when someone suggests a feature that would be good in Linux (though good is a relative term), and people shake it off for "trying to be like windows".

the window border should be updated so that most of the users like it.

NEVER will most of the users like the window borders. If they change it, some will be like "Bring back the brown!" and others will be partying over it. Also, I think the window borders DON'T need to be changed - they are my favorite part of Ubuntu. The background however... ;)

[usien]

Yes, it is similar to other GNOME distrobutions, but Ubuntu shouldn't strive to be different to the point where it is making bad decisions, which is the feeling I get when someone suggests a feature that would be good in Linux (though good is a relative term), and people shake it off for "trying to be like windows".



NEVER will most of the users like the window borders. If they change it, some will be like "Bring back the brown!" and others will be partying over it. Also, I think the window borders DON'T need to be changed - they are my favorite part of Ubuntu. The background however... ;)

i wasn't talking about the color in particular.the color can stay the same but the style should be updated.like there are so many cool compiz/beryl themes.i said it just needs to be updated :)

[smartboyathome]

i wasn't talking about the color in particular.the color can stay the same but the style should be updated.like there are so many cool compiz/beryl themes.i said it just needs to be updated :)

You mean ported to Emerald? That has already been done. Check beryl-look.org.

[mejy]

The menu icon 'inconsistency' is intentional - icons are only given for important items to make them easily recognisable and keep the menus uncluttered. This is part of the Gnome Human Interface Guidelines (HIG) and should not be changed IMO. The other inconsistency you mentioned is because some apps will use a hard coded icon rather than using the 16x16 icon from the current icon theme. This is an up-stream issue that really has to be sorted out by the application maintainers, although the ubuntu devs could submit patches in time for Hardy.

[Zdravko]

Why is everybody concentrated on the visual appearance only? There are so many things to improve like new features!

[Flump5000]

is there anything i can download that would make my menu bars look clear like the one in leopard? i dont want ubuntu to look like a mac, i just like the transparent menu bars. i just need a simple app or command that can do this for me. thanks

[bruce89]

is there anything i can download that would make my menu bars look clear like the one in leopard? i dont want ubuntu to look like a mac, i just like the transparent menu bars. i just need a simple app or command that can do this for me. thanks

Right click on panel > Properties > Background.

[durand]

I like the way that onluy important items have icons. I'm sure that more icons can be added easily but it takes away the priority of one item over another...

I have to agree with you on the single panel. As soon as I install a distro, one of the first things I do is merge the two panels. Infact, I even change it on live cds cos they just take up too much space in my opinion.

Not everyone can use desktop effects so it wouldn't be very effectiive to have transparent desktop effects though I think that the default compiz theme should change to a more eye candy like version of the ubuntu metacity theme. The default should still be metacity's for people who can't use desktop acceleration.

As for booting up, I think ubuntu should look at sabayon's example. The framebuffer boot is soooooo nice, like gentoo and sabayon's version even has boot music!! Thats just plain cool.

[snickers295]

Every professional (and individual) OS has a unique desktop and the desktop is the heart of an OS.The desktop can make or break an OS.In my view since, Ubuntu is a professional and unique OS, so should it's desktop be unique as well.I am not saying that they should develop a new desktop but i am suggesting these improvements, which in my view can make it much better and unique.The Ubuntu desktop, should at least not look like the default Gnome desktop as in every other Gnome distribution, since Ubuntu is different from all of them and is unique in its own right.
Yes i agree with you.
i think that the default panels should be transparent and be 10 pixels bigger like mine (screenshot attached).

Panels
The default Gnome panels do not have a very pleasant look and feel.I know people who don't want to use Ubuntu because of this.In my view Ubuntu should have a single tasbar like panel with it's own look and feel and a unique menu as well.If that's not possible we should at least get rid of the flat, dated look of these panels and have some gradient colors in the background by default.
Another glitch that bugs me is when i have to add a short cut to these panels.In Windows and Xubuntu (XFCE) when you add a shortcut to the panel and when you move it, there is a minimum amount of space between each icon so that they do not look cluttered.In Ubuntu (Gnome) on the other hand you can move them freely and have to adjust the space between the icons manually, which to say the least looks very awkward.
The final glitch that i find in these panels lies in the notification area.The icons in the notification area are not all equal in size.It looks very odd to have icons of different sizes in the notification area (does not happen in Windows).Like i said above, they should be about 38 pixels and be transparent like in my screen shot. I like the two panels because it makes me feel i am far away from the windows look. You are right the app icons in the top panel are to cluttered and they should be auto arranged. Your Right the icons should all be even size.

Desktop
This is more of a bug than a feature request.Try inserting a cd and a usb flash drive before starting Ubuntu and you will see that some of the icons on the desktop are overlapped so everytime this happens to me i have to right click on the desktop and then click Clean up by name to restore the order.Also i think 'Clean up by name does not sound a very good popup menu option.I think this option should be renamed to something like 'Organize Desktop' (refresh in windows).There has to be a mechanism that automatically organizes the icons when Ubuntu starts up.Ya i think they should fix the icons overlapping and should rename the thing to Organize Desktop.

Consistency
Being a programmer myself and having special interest in GUI's, i have noticed a few inconsistencies in the UI.For example when you right click on the desktop, on the menu that appears there are icons for some options and no icons for some of them.I think it looks very odd.We should either have no icons for any option or icons for all options.Another example is that the menu(System menu) icon of Synaptic does not match it's window title icon.I have seen both these inconsistencies for some other applications as well (even menus within an application have icons for some options only).i agree, i really don't care much about eyecandy i only do it when I'm bored.

Theme
The theme overall looks satisfactory except for the window border.I think that the window border looks quite dated now and should be updated with a more stylish one that can also take better advantage of compiz (like transparency etc).

I know some people would say these are very small things and don't matter much but in my view improving these small things makes a big impact on the overall outlook of an OS.I don't think compiz or anything like that should be default because not all Linux user care about eyecandy because i just use my computer for school and programming.

[smartboyathome]

Yes i agree with you.
i think that the default panels should be transparent and be 10 pixels bigger like mine (screenshot attached).
Like i said above, they should be about 38 pixels and be transparent like in my screen shot. I like the two panels because it makes me feel i am far away from the windows look. You are right the app icons in the top panel are to cluttered and they should be auto arranged. Your Right the icons should all be even size.
Ya i think they should fix the icons overlapping and should rename the thing to Organize Desktop.
i agree, i really don't care much about eyecandy i only do it when I'm bored.
I don't think compiz or anything like that should be default because not all Linux user care about eyecandy because i just use my computer for school and programming.

If Ubuntu ever made the panels that big I would change them immediately - I did that with XFCE too. Reason is that I have a small screen ( 1024x768 ), and any space i can save is good. The panels - like the rest of the themes - are all about preference. I like the way they are, I just autohide the bottom one and I am fine.

[Zdravko]

Do you know how much resources will be needed to have these transparent bars?

[usien]

Do you know how much resources will be needed to have these transparent bars?

how much?

[durand]

how much?

Only a tiny bit more than without transparency. Gnome Panel uses pseudo transparency, so there is no compositing.

snickers295: I'd totally hate to have a bigger panel than the current one. Your's takes up way too much space even on a resolution like 1280x1024, it would just be plain annoying!

[beartard]

Do you know how much resources will be needed to have these transparent bars?

Unless GNOME has changed since it started integrating eye candy, the panel transparency is "pseudo-transparency," being that it picks up a slightly lighter version of what's under it on the desktop and uses it for a background. If you were able to slide a window under it, you'd still see the desktop.

[durand]

You can't slide a window under the panels.

[snickers295]

Do you know how much resources will be needed to have these transparent bars?
a right click and a change like mine did?
and you guys are right because ubuntu is fine the way it is but maybe the transparent bars would be a good idea for Ubuntu studio?

[usien]

for those of you who think everything is fine and no changes are required, i have conducted this poll:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=583336

check out the stats and you'll know whats needed.
maybe just maybe if we can get a lot of people to vote on this poll, they'll consider making a few changes!

[Depressed Man]

You can't slide windows under panels, but sometimes they'll spawn there in Compiz Fusion.

[Paul820]

If Ubuntu ever made the panels that big I would change them immediately - I did that with XFCE too. Reason is that I have a small screen ( 1024x768 ), and any space i can save is good. The panels - like the rest of the themes - are all about preference. I like the way they are, I just autohide the bottom one and I am fine.
Totally agree here, i have a laptop with 1280x800 and i need all the space. I have removed the bottom panel and shrunk the top one to 15pixels. The panels are fine as they are, they can be increased if you want them increased but think about the rest of us with small screens on laptops that would find it annoying with huge panels.

It's alright saying i want, i want, but they seem to forget there is a wide range of people using ubuntu with different tastes. By the way, that part was not aimed at anyone, it's just some do do that. :)

[snickers295]

is ubuntu studio big on eyecandy?
if not they should make one with eyecandy so people will quit asking Ubuntu to do all of this eyecandy.

[smartboyathome]

is ubuntu studio big on eyecandy?
if not they should make one with eyecandy so people will quit asking Ubuntu to do all of this eyecandy.

There was one that was going to be made with a whole bunch of eye candy, but it is in spanish. Also, what is wrong with including Compiz Fusion? Lots of people like it. If you get rid of it, you will be getting rid of A LOT, and I mean A LOT, of Ubuntu users.

[snickers295]

There was one that was going to be made with a whole bunch of eye candy, but it is in spanish. Also, what is wrong with including Compiz Fusion? Lots of people like it. If you get rid of it, you will be getting rid of A LOT, and I mean A LOT, of Ubuntu users.
i'm not saying git rid of it, but at setup or something ask if you want to install it. that way those like me don't have to have it.

[HermanAB]

Basically, what the OP is bitching about is Gnome. So use Kubuntu instead, no need to whinge about it. There already is a desktop flavour of Ubuntu for every taste.

[usien]

Basically, what the OP is bitching about is Gnome. So use Kubuntu instead, no need to whinge about it. There already is a desktop flavour of Ubuntu for every taste.

thanx for sharing such precious advice!
we are talking about making gnome better not going away from it so wake up.

[snickers295]

your right so please no swearing anyone?

[NoSmokingBandit]

I agree, i'd be fine if Hardy looked exactly like Gusty and had a ton of performance upgrades.

[snickers295]

FYI it is a lts so they should work on the bugs.
besides ubuntu said it would have a brand new look somewere in the wiki...