How many people use the SLED menu in Ubuntu?

[caffienefree]

mmm?

[igknighted]

I strongly dislike the new menu, I think it is a step backwards in usability. Especially the gnome version, that one is worthless. The KDE one is OK, but many of its implementations have been poor. I haven't tried it in Ubuntu, but in Suse and Sabayon I turn it off.

[ButteBlues]

I use it because it is the only true usable solution.

[qamelian]

I don't use it. It's way too slow and very unfriendly to use. At best, it's an extremely clumsy hack and should be put out of it's misery sooner rather than later.

[rai4shu2]

All menus should be replaced with pie menus. Slab is a step backwards away from that ideal.

[darksong]

I love the SLAB menu, i would use it but i prefer ubuntu and PCLinuxOS over OpenSuSe, and i can't find a way to get this menu in any of the 2 =(

[altonbr]

I've never been able to get it working, so I don't use it. I don't think I'd like it anyway... I found OpenSUSE's version VERY annoying.

[pyros]

I use it, but only in conjunction with deskbar. Having used pie menu's I can only say that you are welcome to them. just leave me another option. I do have two major complaints with the version in the repositories though:

1. A limit of 6 "favorite" apps. really, would it be that hard to change? you can add them, and they show on the list, but, on the next boot, poof, all but the top 6 disappear.

2. wasn't there supposed to be a "recent apps" menu? If I am not mistaken, gnome already has provisions for this function... why the hell isn't it implemented?

If complaint #1 is due to an intentional attempt to limit the menu size, #2 would allow the menu to still be useful.

[ButteBlues]

I'm fairly sure that GNOME upstream has declined to implement #2 thus far, even though Novell has implemented it in their releases for a while.

[j.miller565]

I use it and I seriously love it

[FuturePilot]

I tried it, but it didn't integrate too well as there were some weird things with the widgets.

[pyros]

I'm fairly sure that GNOME upstream has declined to implement #2 thus far, even though Novell has implemented it in their releases for a while.

Fair enough reason. It's really frustraing that, try as I might, I can't program my way out of a paper bag, but at the same time my attempts to do so have led to a much greater appreciation for all of the volunteers that put their time into this great conglomeration that makes up our distro. So many itches to scratch.

[JebusWankel]

I've tried it, but since it doesn't seem to want to learn my favorite applications, I consider the implementation inferior to what I expect is in SLED. That's why I don't use it.

[pyros]

Actually, I just gave it up. Not due to any limits I found with the concept, but because (sometimes) it leaks memory like mad. It;s a shame, I really like it, for the most part.

[mooha]

I used it for a while ..... but I realized that I went backward and slower ... so I didn't like it because I can go to my applications using the default ubuntu one faster.
I don't like it

[kevinlyfellow]

I haven't tried it, but it looks like a lot of clicking. No thanks

[pyros]

I haven't tried it, but it looks like a lot of clicking. No thanks

Well, in its defense, while there are more clicks, (for me at least) it was faster than going than going through the default menu. Mainly due to my lack of skill with a touchpad and the inherent usability problems brought on by hierarchical menus.

[kevinlyfellow]

the inherent usability problems brought on by hierarchical menus.

Explain?

[igknighted]

Explain?

They are slow and inefficient ways of interfacing with a computer. They certainly have their value at times, but to always go KMenu -> Multimedia -> Amarok is very slow compared to clicking a shortcut or having a keyboard shortcut. The time invested in making and learning a keyboard shortcut or the screen space used by a launcher is worth the effort in this scenario. The suse kicker uses this same principle.. on mouseover it opens and your most commonly used apps and recent docs are right there in an easy to use array. In fact you can customize what is on the first page if you like. The nested apps section is a bit clunky, but I use it so rarely thats not an issue.

Yes it is preference, but it is a fairly commonly held belief that the standrard heirarchical menus are not ideal, the problem is (a) thats what people are used to, and (b) there is no consensus on what the best way is. Suse's menu is an attempt to improve it, but is by no means the best way for every one. Some run docks, some use a gnome style menu, others put lots of shortcuts on the desktop, some don't care and like status quo. The basic idea is its one solution of many... if it helps, use it.

[pyros]

igknighted explains it pretty well. That style of menu is basically unwieldy. 90% of the time I use, maybe, 8 programs out of the dozens I have installed. But it takes just as long to open one of those 8 as it does to open any one of the seldom used programs.

Then theres the problem of opening the wrong submenu (because a hand moving a mouse doesn't lend its self to 90 degree angles) and having to essentially restart my efforts. Don't get me wrong, the menu bar in gnome is a great improvement over something like the windows start menu, but it's not perfect, or at least, its not perfect for everyone.

Of course there are many possible solutions to this problem. Shortcuts on the panels are probably the most common, but at standard panel sizes (24px, I think?) they make a pretty small target, both visually and physically. I tried using a few drawers for my most common apps, but, there are still some shortcomings, so for now I'm back with the menubar.

If the main menu would A: let me add more than 6 shortcuts to the initial menu, and B: quit leaking memory like (insert appropriately absurd analogy here) I'd be perfectly happy with it.

[kevinlyfellow]

I agree, if it works for you, then that's what you should use. But, I've never really had a problem with the things you guys are talking about, but the effort to try something new is always worthwhile. I'm not too old, so I don't have a problem with small icons in my menu, but it certainly would have limitations if I were an old man. It would also be difficult if I were using a pointer device that I didn't find comfortably to use. I don't really see much need for everyone to abandon the hierachical menu. As long the menu remains clean and simple, it will be efficient enough for most people.

If I were using KDE, I'd probably go with the SLED Menu. I think the KDE menu is (at least by default) difficult on the eyes. I'm not trying to start going gnome-vs-kde, but I do get overwhelmed everytime I open up the kde menu. It doesn't seem as straight forward as the gnome menu (I think that this just expresses the different type of thinking that goes into the projects).

Well anyways, best of luck to anyone looking for a nice "main menu" replacement.

[Seq]

I just stopped using it. It was nice to be able to launch mouse-driven applications (like a browser, etc) without reaching for the keyboard. I end up using deskbar applet to launch 90% of my applications, so I never really delved into the 'more' screen, which I thought had far too many Icons at once.

The beagle bar was a nice idea, though. It would have been nicer if it showed the results in the menu rather than popping up beagle search (I could have done that).

I ended up ditching it for the 'classic' menu due to muscle-memory (Alt+F1) that I couldn't seem to find how to rebind to the new menu, causing the compact version of the old one to pop up anyway. Plus the deskbar applet seems to have all the beagle and quick-launch features I need.

[pyros]

I agree, if it works for you, then that's what you should use. But, I've never really had a problem with the things you guys are talking about, but the effort to try something new is always worthwhile. I'm not too old, so I don't have a problem with small icons in my menu, but it certainly would have limitations if I were an old man. It would also be difficult if I were using a pointer device that I didn't find comfortably to use.

I appreciate your tone, and I'm, not trying to argue, really, this is just something that hit me personally. I have a minor amount of nerve damage due to an injury and the resulting surgery. While I don't notice it in my normal activities (even my handwriting is unchanged) I found that I started making more mistakes in hierarchical menus. Since then I've been studying up on user interfaces and found that this is a common problem, even for "normal" users. Most of us have been using them for years (15 for me), and are "trained" in a muscle memory sense, to move our hands in a manner that is, essentially, unnatural.

As for the icons, I was refering more to icons directly on the panel, but either way I don't think that age is the only consideration. I can differentiate my icons, if I bother to look at them, but that takes time, small ammounts, I admit, but, the closer together they are, the harder to differentiate at a glance due to simmilar shape or color, the more effort you have to exert just starting an application. This may sound hyperbolic, but it's the type of thing that makes you like an iterface, or not, without even realizing why. And thats just for "normal" users. What about those with even mild visual impairment, or mobility problems?

yet the hierarchical menu is the default...

[kevinlyfellow]

I appreciate your tone, and I'm, not trying to argue, really, this is just something that hit me personally. I have a minor amount of nerve damage due to an injury and the resulting surgery. While I don't notice it in my normal activities (even my handwriting is unchanged) I found that I started making more mistakes in hierarchical menus. Since then I've been studying up on user interfaces and found that this is a common problem, even for "normal" users. Most of us have been using them for years (15 for me), and are "trained" in a muscle memory sense, to move our hands in a manner that is, essentially, unnatural.

As for the icons, I was refering more to icons directly on the panel, but either way I don't think that age is the only consideration. I can differentiate my icons, if I bother to look at them, but that takes time, small ammounts, I admit, but, the closer together they are, the harder to differentiate at a glance due to simmilar shape or color, the more effort you have to exert just starting an application. This may sound hyperbolic, but it's the type of thing that makes you like an iterface, or not, without even realizing why. And thats just for "normal" users. What about those with even mild visual impairment, or mobility problems?

yet the hierarchical menu is the default...

Now I've given the sled menu a try. I can see how it would suit some people, but for me I just avoided it like the plague (deskbar was in heavy use!).

By icons in the menu, what I actually meant was icons on the panel. Sorry about that. I remember reading somethings about making a user interface so that people who have difficulties using a mouse and/or have vision problems can use it easier. One of the things was basically just make the icons big. I personally have always avoided large icons because they looked bad when they were large, but with svg, that's no longer a problem.

It would be great to have the menu installed by default. Whether it's the default menu, I couldn't care less, since I know how to easily get the menu bar back. I think making Ubuntu usable by default by the largest number of people is more important than my personal preferences, and I can see how the sled menu is usable by a larger range of people (which must be why Novell made it). I don't think that the hierarchical menu is dead, since it is very usable by many people (especially those who have grown used to it).

[pyros]

Now I've given the sled menu a try. I can see how it would suit some people, but for me I just avoided it like the plague (deskbar was in heavy use!).

By icons in the menu, what I actually meant was icons on the panel. Sorry about that. I remember reading somethings about making a user interface so that people who have difficulties using a mouse and/or have vision problems can use it easier. One of the things was basically just make the icons big. I personally have always avoided large icons because they looked bad when they were large, but with svg, that's no longer a problem.

It would be great to have the menu installed by default. Whether it's the default menu, I couldn't care less, since I know how to easily get the menu bar back. I think making Ubuntu usable by default by the largest number of people is more important than my personal preferences, and I can see how the sled menu is usable by a larger range of people (which must be why Novell made it). I don't think that the hierarchical menu is dead, since it is very usable by many people (especially those who have grown used to it).

It seems like we are on the same page. I don't think that the sled menu should be the default in ubuntu simply because it isn't mature enough.

have to love the deskbar : )
I run tilda, too. It's faster than picking what I want from the deskbar actions menu and has tab complete.

[kevinlyfellow]

It seems like we are on the same page. I don't think that the sled menu should be the default in ubuntu simply because it isn't mature enough.

have to love the deskbar : )
I run tilda, too. It's faster than picking what I want from the deskbar actions menu and has tab complete.

I love the idea of tilda, but last I tried I remember it caused some strange reaction on my desktop. I'll try it again sometime

[pyros]

I love the idea of tilda, but last I tried I remember it caused some strange reaction on my desktop. I'll try it again sometime
I've had some rendering problems with the pseudo-transparent background, but that was it... assuming I didn't screw up and map the pop-up key to the letter "T" *coughs and looks shifty*

[kevinlyfellow]

I've had some rendering problems with the pseudo-transparent background, but that was it... assuming I didn't screw up and map the pop-up key to the letter "T" *coughs and looks shifty*

That's ok, I recently mapped the delete button to change windows. Boy was that confusing...

I've been straying off topic in these forums lately, but, how do I start it when I login and not have it pop up immediately?

[pyros]

That's ok, I recently mapped the delete button to change windows. Boy was that confusing...
HAH! that's classic.

I've been straying off topic in these forums lately, but, how do I start it when I login and not have it pop up immediately?
In the general tab, on the tilda config panel, the first section, window display, has a checkbox for "start tilda hidden"

[kevinlyfellow]

HAH! that's classic.

In the general tab, on the tilda config panel, the first section, window display, has a checkbox for "start tilda hidden"

Lol, of all the things I can't figure out!

[pyros]

Lol, of all the things I can't figure out!
happens to all of us
: D