Menu Suggestion

[andras artois]

I remember reading there was going to be a drastic change in GNOME's menu in GNOME 3 and just thought I'd throw a few suggestion out there.

The first picture is what the menu would look like once you clicked the menu icon (the ubuntu logo in the corner). The applications there can be changed to whatever you want or whatever you use most.

If you click on the + More button then it goes onto the second image.

The bit where the 'Places' button is can be customised. So there could be a link to 'My Photo's' etc instead of Andras HD for example. The actual places button just shows up the original Places menu.

The Preferences and Administrator buttons just go onto the original slide out menu's for those things.

The 'Off' button would show the screen that came in Hardy if you clciked the button. The one with the options to Suspend, Shut Down, Log Off, Lock Screen etc.

The 'Lock Screen' button looks the screen instantly as would be expected.

The place where the picture and 'Andras' is, is the users name, in my case Andras and the picture is whatever you choose it to be but can also be disabled.

This was all just knocked up in GIMP, I haven't actually made it or anything.

I also thought that it would probably better if the picture and name bit were moved to the bottom, lock screen and shut down were at the top, Places beneath that and then the preferences and applications. See the third attachment.

Sorry if this is the wrong section.

[zmjjmz]

Looks like the Windows start menu as of XP.
That's good really, I liked the concept (except for the all programs menu, because that was always massive and could take a minute to load)

[andras artois]

Thanks, my other thought was to make it so the user can customize it easily. So the menu with applications, games, graphics etc would be the first one and clicking the top button would change it to the first picture of the attachments. The picture and name bit could be completely removed. You could add as many locations as you like to the part under the Places as you like or add extra button by the Turn Off and lock screen.

You would also be able to change what shows up in Places, Administration, Preferences and all the application lists.

The idea was to make it simple, obvious where everything is and easy to use and configure.

[SunnyRabbiera]

Its too much like the XP menu for my tastes.
if you want a xp menu use XP or try linux mint out sometime

[bash]

Currently it looks like the new GNOME-Shell will be the new UI for GNOME 3 and it has quite a few new design ideas. If you want to know more check these links:

http://live.gnome.org/GnomeShell
http://blog.fishsoup.net/2009/02/10/gnome-shell-status-2/

[MikeTheC]

Personally, I'd prefer they leave it like it is. What's shown in this thread reminds me of what I always change the Windows Start Menu from.

[smartboyathome]

I hate those types of menus. GNOME's current menu is much faster than XP's, imo, since you only have two clicks and one hover to get to any program (except WINE).

[andras artois]

Fair enough, it was just a suggestion and it seemed fairly practical to me.

[madverb]

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=222546

[Bölvaður]

There are 2 things that I really like about this:

1. you are doing something, creating mockups and ask how we feel about it before going further.
2. it got light colour...

So I really like that you are trying. But the outcome isn't giving us fewer mouse clicks.
You can think of the menu as a tree where you want to have it relatively flat. By having 3 options like most of the ubuntu users have (applications, places, system), but by reducing it to 1 then the tree will either be deeper or wider. What you would like to aim for is a better balance (always few options (little width) but still very little depth)

Am I too unclear?

[Tibuda]

I hate those types of menus. GNOME's current menu is much faster than XP's, imo, since you only have two clicks and one hover to get to any program (except WINE).I agree, that's why I always move my Wine games to the games category. I hate how Windows' Start Menu is organized by company and not by category as Linux. That's why most windows installers create a launcher in the desktop.

[andras artois]

There are 2 things that I really like about this:

1. you are doing something, creating mockups and ask how we feel about it before going further.
2. it got light colour...

So I really like that you are trying. But the outcome isn't giving us fewer mouse clicks.
You can think of the menu as a tree where you want to have it relatively flat. By having 3 options like most of the ubuntu users have (applications, places, system), but by reducing it to 1 then the tree will either be deeper or wider. What you would like to aim for is a better balance (always few options (little width) but still very little depth)

Am I too unclear?

I get what you mean. The idea should be to reduce the amount of mouse clicks it takes to do something while still looking nice and being practical.

With my suggestion the idea was that what appears is all your favourite or most used programs and locations. So for instance I go into my documents folder and onto my external hard drive so those are on the menu near the top. Same with the applications. I don't use gedit much when I do I tend to reopen it a lot so it would be on the favourite list thats on the menu.

The other idea was that the menu be very customizable so you could make it as minimal as you like or as busy as you like.

I know it's very windows like but it also seems more practical to put the most commonly used programs and folders up front in a very easy access way while the uncommonly used folders and programs are just 1 or 2 mouse clicks away.

Having the menu icon like that also frees up space on the panel allowing you to put more quick launchers on the panel with out it being and looking so clustered.

It also provides are more familiar feel to people who have to use windows frequently at work or to people migrating from windows.

Thank you for your opinions and it is only a mock up free for anyone to make if they so wish.

[Bölvaður]

I guess that if you'd do this for each group (applications, places, system) where each option has the mostly clicked items (2 mouse clicks) and then next to it the items you had under "more" on your mockups on the side (3 click items).

I guess I can do very primitive mockup of it instead of using .svg so other's can edit it.

note that the mockup is only done for applications but it should be implamented also for "places" and "system". also there is missing the add/remove option :(