It looks like a new "locally integrated menu" will make it into Unity, starting with version 5.6.0. There's basically no information about the new locally integrated menubar, except for two bug reports which link to some custom Unity, Compiz, Metacity and Light Themes branches so to see "LIM" in action, I've compiled all these branches and here's the result. The "locally integrated menubar" can be displayed on the panel (for maximized windows) as well as in the window decoration (unmaximized windows). But it's not displayed on both in the same time.
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Member since:2007-04-25
I answered a question, Neolander, I didn't advocate anything.
But since you asked my opinion ;-), I don't yet see a particular advantage to using the exact same interface on desktops and touch devices, as Canonical and Microsoft seem to be promoting. And I'm not at all sold on incompatible desktops and tablets, as Apple and Google are promoting.
Rather, I'd like to see different UIs on different device types, but with the same underlying OS and compatible toolkits to make writing apps across the board much less work. This was the MeeGo model, I think it's the KDE model (though I'm pretty new to their touch interface), and Microsoft may be moving that way with Window [Phone] 8.
I use an iPad, and it's sometimes elegant, but definitely under-powered for "real" work. I love Maemo and its ability to use *real* applications rather than limited iPad-like apps, even though my beloved N900 is getting pretty dated. Unity works pretty well on tablets (with a little tweaking), but I'm not sold on it for desktops - though I'm giving it a fair shot right now on my primary workstation at home (with some occasional Cinnamon Mint tossed in for flavor, while using Suse with Gnome 2, Red Hat with KDE 4, and Win 7 on workstations at my day job).
So I'm open to a one-size-fits-all UI approach, but skeptical that I'll find one that really works well for me on all device types.
Member since:2010-03-08
I agree that one UI per device could be a solution, if one-size-fits-all proves to be impossible to implement.
What I don't understand is when UI toolkits seem to become incompatible with certain input devices on purpose.
See the paragraph here as an example : https://wiki.mozilla.org/Windows_8_Integration#Hardware_Configuratio...
It is said that Wacom tablets are not compatible with Windows 8's Metro interface because their drivers do not generate touch events. Seriously, how does this make any sense ? How much would it cost Microsoft to just support a generic "pointer" abstraction instead of forcing drivers to mimick touch when they actually abstract something totally unrelated ?
I can understand having one UI per device family, but not one toolkit per device.
PS : Sorry if my posting style is a bit aggressive today. I've been dealing with some ugly flu/cold/whatever that prevents me to breathe and sleep properly for a few days now, and it starts to show.
Edited 2012-02-15 13:30 UTC
Member since:2005-08-02
Member since:2010-03-08
I have had the displeasure of dealing with Vista on my grandmother's laptop, and I deal with the wondrous performance of its successor each time I play a game on mine, so I feel your pain... Works relatively fine once you put it on a recent desktop gaming machine though.
Gnome 3 is different, because contrary to Windows I'm never forced to use it. After a short experience with it in Fedora 15, I just decided that I didn't like it and would give Xfce a try and that was it. Mint's tweaks make it more bearable, too, so I may switch back someday, once I'm tired of Xfce's endless stream of glitches...
Edited 2012-02-16 09:23 UTC
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Member since:
2010-03-08
Well, I am not impressed.
Are you really advocating using solely these inputs to do anything a bit advanced on the content creation side ? I mean, finger painting and shouting repeatedly at the computer until it gets what you mean is cute and all, but I still can't see how it can efficiently replace keyboards, mice, and styluses at the tasks where those are good for.
A future proof user interface should see beyond the latest gimmicks in the realm of input devices.
Edited 2012-02-15 06:21 UTC