Mac-style Menu Bar for GTK and Java/Swing applications!

[sicofante]

It takes longer to use a menu not attatched to your window, and its been proven.

Some time ago in this very thread I asked for some docs about the subject. Most of what I've found supports the opposite (Mac-style menu is faster), but it's been written by former Apple employees -who seem to be the only usability gurus out there- and I can't seem to find anything else. I'm genuinely interested. Do you have any links to share?

Thanks!

[ayoli]

Not a bit.

It takes longer to use a menu not attatched to your window, and its been proven.

It depends of the monitor size. For those who have small sizes (12.1, 13.3, 14.1) it saves some space and is not so longer to use.
Btw, I agree that it isn't useful for big monitors with high resolutions (over 1280)

[Frak]

Correct

Fitts's law, which is a model of human movement which predicts the time required to rapidly move to a target area, as a function of the distance to the target and the size of the target, states that it would take longer at higher resolutions to come to a fixed area within an extreme area (top, bottom, left, or right of the screen). Which the only way to make up the speed is to decrease the resolution, or use the keyboard. Which can be done on ANY OS.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fitts%27s_law

[sicofante]

I'm sorry but I can't find any reference to high resolution monitors at the Wikipedia link. Of course it sounds reasonable, but I'm precisely looking for some evidence that supports this.

Even in large screens, it might be easier to target a Mac menu than a window menu. The infinite height of the Mac menu makes the 'size' part of Fitts' law much bigger than the 'distance' part of the law. Am I wrong?

I'm really curious about why the Gnome team opposes the Mac menu bar so heavily. They must have some docs supporting their point of view. I so wish I could take a look at them!!

[Frak]

I'm sorry but I can't find any reference to high resolution monitors at the Wikipedia link. Of course it sounds reasonable, but I'm precisely looking for some evidence that supports this.

Even in large screens, it might be easier to target a Mac menu than a window menu. The infinite height of the Mac menu makes the 'size' part of Fitts' law much bigger than the 'distance' part of the law. Am I wrong?

I'm really curious about why the Gnome team opposes the Mac menu bar so heavily. They must have some docs supporting their point of view. I so wish I could take a look at them!!

Main reason is because it is patented.

[sicofante]

Mmm... are you sure? The patent doesn't seem to be an issue for KDE devs. They DO support Mac menu bar without hacks like the one discussed here.

EDIT: I've just found a very interesting discussion on the subject here: http://gamma.ixda.org/discuss.php?post=1765. They don't reach any conclusions about bigger monitors.

And another very interesting document here: http://www.re-pdf.com/?f=761&x=2af8a...b539005f14ad30. It shows that increasing the distance to the target doesn't mean increasing the time to reach the target in a linear proportion and how proper mouse acceleration helps keeping things working in bigger screens.

[Opeth115]

I think i screwed up something badly... I wanted to use the package so that you don't get that annoying little arrow on your start button, but im on 64bit. I tried installing those packages for that by using the force architecture command. But, now whenever i log in to gnome my panels don't load up! any help im writing htis cuz i installed an openbox session and im logged into that.

[Frak]

Mmm... are you sure? The patent doesn't seem to be an issue for KDE devs. They DO support Mac menu bar without hacks like the one discussed here.

EDIT: I've just found a very interesting discussion on the subject here: http://gamma.ixda.org/discuss.php?post=1765. They don't reach any conclusions about bigger monitors.

And another very interesting document here: http://www.re-pdf.com/?f=761&x=2af8a...b539005f14ad30. It shows that increasing the distance to the target doesn't mean increasing the time to reach the target in a linear proportion and how proper mouse acceleration helps keeping things working in bigger screens.

There are continuous debates over this. And both sides may be right. There is more than likely, more than one answer. You see Vista got rid of the menubar for this reason.If there is no menubar, there is nothing to miss.

Also, I've found that KDE devs don't look at patents very often.

[Opeth115]

I think i screwed up something badly... I wanted to use the package so that you don't get that annoying little arrow on your start button, but im on 64bit. I tried installing those packages for that by using the force architecture command. But, now whenever i log in to gnome my panels don't load up! any help im writing htis cuz i installed an openbox session and im logged into that.

anyone please help i have no desktop as of right now is there anything i can do?

[kankan]

Hello All

I installed mac menu applet without any problem
As i call the applet in the panel, i only see the name of the current open Application and no way to configure the Mac Menu.
Btw, i lost all my Menus in Nautilus Windows ... How can i get them back and / or configure the Mac Menu?

Regards.