Ubuntu Panel Replacer - Mockup / Idea

[BradwJensen]

This is a mockup idea BASED off "Avant Window Navigator" which I started in Photoshop.. (not finished). Also, icons & wallpaper are made by others, not me..

Purpose:
It's purpose would be to replace both panels on Ubuntu Linux, Keep things Simple/Easy, and Save Space; while keeping ourselves moving in a forward future direction..

How it works:
On the left of the Dock you would have the System Icon, when u click the System icon you get a bubble with your 'Programs and preferences' in them like shown in the attachment.. When you click something in the Bubble, like "Internet" the contents in the bubble would change to show all of your internet applications with which you could launch from that bubble..

When you type in the search of the bubble, the contents in the bubble would change to what it found in the search til' you hit the clear search button, in which you would be taken back to the main "Programs & Pref's" menu.

When you open/run a program - that programs icon is then displayed in the middle of the dock.. anything open, minimized, or in the tray would show up on the middle of the dock to indicate to you that it is a running application..

The right of the Dock would be for things like a trashcan, date/time, and weather..

The dock can be set to auto-hide to save even more space when working.. when one clicks an app icon of something already running on the dock you would be switched to that application on whatever workarea that application is located on..


When you get an email or update available, a small text or window like the bubble with text in it would popup somewhere on the screen stating you got something new and some info about it quickly, then it would auto minimize to the dock.

Also there may be a Icon next to the 'System Icon' on the dock for 'Places' with a bubble filled with place like 'home' & 'file system' and so on; which when u click those a Nautilus window would open to that folder. Maybe u can choose to have a nautilus folder open or for it to open the folders contents in the bubble..


The way it's layed out and runs makes it a bit dif from AWN but it's Very Very close to the same thing..
This is just steps further and would make Ubuntu a lot Simpler, easier, and kool..
It would set a big standard for other OS's to copy or work around.

[gsiliceo]

I think you should post your idea in the AWN Launchpad page
https://answers.launchpad.net/awn/

[Merk42]

I like the interface aspect of it, but visually I'd say it looks way too similar to Leopard.

[BradwJensen]

Originally Posted by Merk42 I like the interface aspect of it, but visually I'd say it looks way too similar to Leopard.

So,
This is about functionality.. Not about copying leopard. The difference between leopard and this is leopards dock is for launching apps from the icons directly on the dock, this has menus in it for launching apps/keeping things sorted, and then the icons on the dock are for apps that are running.

It's like all of your panels in one simple to use, good looking dock that can be set to auto-hide. and have effects for funn if one wants them. It's cleaner, and besides, mac has a panel at the top which this would allow us to not even have to have ONE of those.

Thanks though!

[Merk42]

Originally Posted by BradwJensen So, This is about functionality.. Not about copying leopard. The difference between leopard and this is leopards dock is for launching apps from the icons directly on the dock, this has menus in it for launching apps/keeping things sorted, and then the icons on the dock are for apps that are running. It's like all of your panels in one simple to use, good looking dock that can be set to auto-hide. and have effects for funn if one wants them. It's cleaner, and besides, mac has a panel at the top which this would allow us to not even have to have ONE of those. Thanks though!

I just meant it looked too similar to Leopard in that it was centered, didn't take up the whole bottom row, and specifically to Leopard looked more like a shelf than a panel.

I realize the bubble thing is different and I like your ideas for the interface in that aspect. I just think the dock by itself (when no bubbles are present) needs to be visually different from Leopard.

[BradwJensen]

Originally Posted by Merk42 I just meant it looked too similar to Leopard in that it was centered, didn't take up the whole bottom row, and specifically to Leopard looked more like a shelf than a panel. I realize the bubble thing is different and I like your ideas for the interface in that aspect. I just think the dock by itself (when no bubbles are present) needs to be visually different from Leopard.

Alright.. Sorry.
We'll we could always have more diff themes for it, and it could be made to be positioned anywhere on the screen..

[smartboyathome]

It looks good. I have a small screen ( 1024x768 ), though, so if you could make it look good on that small of a resolution (which I have yet to do with AWN), I would use it.

[gruvsyco]

Not sure if you've seen cairo-dock... I like it's sub-docks idea a lot. The one thing I find missing from you single dock idea, and the reason I still have a top bar on my system is the systray. I know there was/is one for AWN but frankly I don't like the way it works currently... if it worked more like cairo-dock's sub-dock I think it could be more useful.

I do like some of your ideas for functionality though.

[Supremacy]

i like the idea. It seems well thought out. just wondering, where abouts would the clock go? or you still workign on that? i guess GDesklets could be used for that

[BradwJensen]

Originally Posted by smartboyathome It looks good. I have a small screen ( 1024x768 ), though, so if you could make it look good on that small of a resolution (which I have yet to do with AWN), I would use it.

We'll your's and mine's screen width's are the same so that should be fine.. and height wise it looks like it should be alright.. Maybe when u'd have a lot of stuff in the bubble, there can be a scrollbar on the right?