hugoread
October 27th, 2010, 10:50 AM
Hello and sorry if I'm posting in the wrong forum, I couldn't find one for suggestions, which is what this is.....
I'm sure like many people, I use the Window Selector to flip between my open apps, the applet being located on my top (and only) panel. I don't have a panel at the bottom of the screen as two panels would take up too much real estate on my laptop and I therefore don't use Windows List. I just use the selector to flip apps.
So, when using the Window Selector, the problem, in my opinion, is the icon changing dynamically according to which window is active. For example, I have launchers for Chrome and Firefox also in the panel, and if chrome is currently active then the icon for the selector is essentially the same as the chrome launcher icon, so which one is the selector and which is the launcher?! Ok, the selector icon is slightly smaller and I should remember where I put in on the panel, but that's not really the point. When quickly glancing up to flip apps, there isn't immediate clarity over which icon is actually the selector. To remedy this would be incredibly simple, just always use the icon for the Window Selector that's found in the 'Add to Panel' dialog and don't dynamically change the icon to the active window. Then I would glance up when wanting to change from Chrome to another app and immediately see the unique Window Selector icon, with no way of confusing this with the Chrome icon or indeed any other. Of course, I know if Chrome is the active window because I can see it in front of me! It doesn't add anything to change the selector icon to tell me something that is right in front of my eyes.
If some people wanted to keep the dynamically changing icon it could be added as an option to the applet I suppose, a 'use dynamic icon' tickbox. Anyway, speaking as someone with over 10 years experience as a user interface designer and working on the user side of technology, I am convinced that people would very quickly realise that a static icon would be far better and would use the option.
I would suggest the full change as being:
- always have the fixed icon in the panel for the applet
- when clicking on the icon, show in the drop down list all open apps (including the active one) with a tick against the active one.
- also include the 'show desktop' icon and option in the list, to hide all of the apps.
- potentially add an option (right click tick box) to 'use dynamic selector icon', which I would suggest by default is turned off.
I think that's quite enough talk for a ludicrously simple feature! However, sometimes very simple things can make a big difference to usability....
Regards,
Hugo Read.
P.S. By all means move this to another place if appropriate so more people are likely to read it and sorry for posting in the wrong spot if I've done so.
I'm sure like many people, I use the Window Selector to flip between my open apps, the applet being located on my top (and only) panel. I don't have a panel at the bottom of the screen as two panels would take up too much real estate on my laptop and I therefore don't use Windows List. I just use the selector to flip apps.
So, when using the Window Selector, the problem, in my opinion, is the icon changing dynamically according to which window is active. For example, I have launchers for Chrome and Firefox also in the panel, and if chrome is currently active then the icon for the selector is essentially the same as the chrome launcher icon, so which one is the selector and which is the launcher?! Ok, the selector icon is slightly smaller and I should remember where I put in on the panel, but that's not really the point. When quickly glancing up to flip apps, there isn't immediate clarity over which icon is actually the selector. To remedy this would be incredibly simple, just always use the icon for the Window Selector that's found in the 'Add to Panel' dialog and don't dynamically change the icon to the active window. Then I would glance up when wanting to change from Chrome to another app and immediately see the unique Window Selector icon, with no way of confusing this with the Chrome icon or indeed any other. Of course, I know if Chrome is the active window because I can see it in front of me! It doesn't add anything to change the selector icon to tell me something that is right in front of my eyes.
If some people wanted to keep the dynamically changing icon it could be added as an option to the applet I suppose, a 'use dynamic icon' tickbox. Anyway, speaking as someone with over 10 years experience as a user interface designer and working on the user side of technology, I am convinced that people would very quickly realise that a static icon would be far better and would use the option.
I would suggest the full change as being:
- always have the fixed icon in the panel for the applet
- when clicking on the icon, show in the drop down list all open apps (including the active one) with a tick against the active one.
- also include the 'show desktop' icon and option in the list, to hide all of the apps.
- potentially add an option (right click tick box) to 'use dynamic selector icon', which I would suggest by default is turned off.
I think that's quite enough talk for a ludicrously simple feature! However, sometimes very simple things can make a big difference to usability....
Regards,
Hugo Read.
P.S. By all means move this to another place if appropriate so more people are likely to read it and sorry for posting in the wrong spot if I've done so.