Linked by Eugenia Loli-Queru on Thu 25th Oct 2007 03:01 UTC, submitted by Farhad Shakiba
Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu "The purpose of this article is not to emphasize the strengths and merits of Ubuntu user experience, but instead to shed a brighter light on areas that have been neglected due to shortage of time and resources, usability testing, and various software and artwork defects. I hope those who are sometimes overprotective of open-source software will take my recommendations with a pinch of salt and see this article for what it really tries to be: a vocal user experience report and constructive criticism."
Thread beginning with comment 280575
To view parent comment, click here.
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
RE: Gnome menu
by mallard on Thu 25th Oct 2007 08:09 UTC in reply to "Gnome menu"
mallard
Member since:
2006-01-06

Note that a significant amount of Gnome users use and prefer "standard" aspect screens*.
In this case, trying to squeeze the Gnome menus, shortcut icons, desktop pager, clock, notification icons and controls onto one panel would leave little room for the window list (the most important part) on all but the highest resolutions.
Plus, remember than almost all Linux users are at least "power users" and are likely to want to add applets to their panels. With a single-panel layout (as used in earlier versions of Gnome) there is simply no available space for this.
Better to have too much available space than not enough.

*IMHO "widescreen" is a con by screen manufacturers to exploit the fact that screen sizes are measured diagonally - so they can make 21" "widescreen" monitors with barely as many pixels as 15" "standard" aspect monitors.

Reply Parent Bookmark Score: 3

RE[2]: Gnome menu
by Lokken on Thu 25th Oct 2007 11:17 in reply to "RE: Gnome menu"
Lokken Member since:
2006-06-27

1024*768 = 786432 pixels
1680*1050 = 1764000 pixels

I don't see how that's a 'con by screen manufacturers.'

I prefer the widescreen (even with two panels) because I find the work flows better when windows are next to each other. The windows don't get hidden nearly as much.

IMHO, I think your humble opinion might be wrong, or at least a little misguided.

I guess that it's also possible that I missed some oozing sarcasm in your post.

Reply Parent Bookmark Score: 3

RE[2]: Gnome menu
by google_ninja on Thu 25th Oct 2007 15:52 in reply to "RE: Gnome menu"
google_ninja Member since:
2006-02-05

16:10 ratio makes way more sense for monitors in virtually every application other then document processing. Not only do you have more space on the taskbar, but you can have more tool pallets up without sacrificing document space.

I thought it was rather gimmicky too, until I got my widescreen laptop. Now, I would never by a "standard" ratio monitor again.

Reply Parent Bookmark Score: 3

RE[2]: Gnome menu
by bornagainenguin on Fri 26th Oct 2007 20:37 in reply to "RE: Gnome menu"
bornagainenguin Member since:
2005-08-07

Heh! Oh widescreens are scams alright, but just not the way you're thinking of. Look at the biggest feature from Vista-- the sidebar. Now try to remember back when IE4.0 first came out, and Microsoft contracted with Disney and all sorts of other advertisers to sell our desktops as their own personal billboards...

Yup! IMHO the main reason for the decision to go 'widescreen' was so the media companies can exploit the fact we're used to standard displays to place advertising and other types of crap on the sides of the screen, while still giving us the "standard" display we're used to. You already see it happening with the little mini-ads the TV networks run over the top of their TV shows....

--bornagainpenguin

Reply Parent Bookmark Score: 2