Suggestions to make Gnome 3 / shell better

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Hello all,

Here are some ideas that I think would get gnome 3 and the new activities
thing working better for most people.

1. Keep the activities hot corner as it is on the top left. Add a bottom
right hot corner for getting straight to applications menu.

2. Add two more icons next to activities icon in the left corner of the top
bar - applications & places.licking on these should take the user straight
to that mode.

3. In the activities mode, add a Places tab next to Windows and
Applications tabs. Makes most users feel at home (some thing similar to the
old Apps-Places-Settings gnome menu look, yet the functionality and feel
would be much different. read on pls)

4. Bring the search box closer to Windows-Applictions-Places tabs.
Benefits of 1-4:
(a) the pointer now needs to move only within the top-left quarter of the
screen.
(b) Everything a user works with is max one click away (using the 3 icons)

See my Mock-ups:
Mock-up Picture 1: http://i44.tinypic.com/34plwk9.png
Mock-up Picture 2: http://i42.tinypic.com/rktyd2.png

5. Places: Should look similar to Applications. Show Computer, Desktop,
Documents, Pictures, etc as a list on Left. The larger area to the left of
the list divided in to two parts - upper part showing bookmarked places and
lower part showing recent folders/documents.

6. Improving Navigation using keyboard.

(a) Win key: Opens the Windows Acivity Tab (as it is now)
(b) Alt+Win key: Opens Applications.
(c) Alt+Space : Opens the Places Tab. (see mock-ups above)

(d) In activity mode: Tab should toggle between Windows-Applictions-Places.

(e) Up, Down, Left, Right navigation keys to easily browse through the
icons displayed under the tab. This will be the different windows in
Windows tab, and different icons in Applications and Places tab.

6. Making search more logical: search works differntly for each tab senario:

(a) Windows tab: searches the currently running windows from all workspaces
and shows the results on top with a picture of the application (with a
small overlay icon for quick recognition). If no matching windows are
found, then the search shows applications with similar name that the user
may open.
This will help users switch an application running on another workspaces
quickly. And incase it is not open, he can open it from the same search
without moving to the Applications tab (saves time).

(b) Application Tab: Search will list the matchin applications in the
category selected.
Moving the category list to the left as mentioned earlier will make
navigation easier. People are used to the left to right way of moving in
menus. So now user can: Click Applications (or Alt+Win) choose the category
right under the Applications tab (or press down to navigate) and then click
on the icon (or move to right with key and get to the
application and press Enter)

(c) Places: searches through the documents and files on the system or
selected folder/place on the list on the left side. (haven't made a mock-up
yet, but will be a cross between the Applications tab and the Nautilius
with sidebar open.

Hope all this makes some sense.

regards,

Jasir

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr">Hello all,<br>=
<br>Here are some ideas that I think would get gnome 3 and the new activiti=
es thing working better for most people.<br><br>1. Keep the activities hot =
corner as it is on the top left. Add a bottom right hot corner for getting =
straight to applications menu.<br>


<br>2. Add two more icons next to activities icon in the left corner of the=
 top bar - applications &amp; places.licking on these should take the user =
straight to that mode.<br><br>3. In the activities mode, add a Places tab n=
ext to Windows and Applications tabs. Makes most users feel at home (some t=
hing similar to the old Apps-Places-Settings gnome menu look, yet the funct=
ionality and feel would be much different. read on pls)<br>


<br>4. Bring the search box closer to Windows-Applictions-Places tabs. <br>=
Benefits of 1-4: <br><div style=3D"margin-left:40px">(a) the pointer now ne=
eds to move only within the top-left quarter of the screen.<br>(b) Everythi=
ng a user works with is max one click away (using the 3 icons) <br>


</div><br>See my Mock-ups:<br>Mock-up Picture 1: <a href=3D"http://i44.tiny=
pic.com/34plwk9.png" target=3D"_blank">http://i44.tinypic.com/34plwk9.png</=
a><br>Mock-up Picture 2: <a href=3D"http://i42.tinypic.com/rktyd2.png" targ=
et=3D"_blank">http://i42.tinypic.com/rktyd2.png</a><br>


<br>5. Places: Should look similar to Applications. Show Computer, Desktop,=
 Documents, Pictures, etc as a list on Left. The larger area to the left of=
 the list divided in to two parts - upper part showing bookmarked places an=
d lower part showing recent folders/documents.<br>


<br>6. Improving Navigation using keyboard.<br><br><div style=3D"margin-lef=
t:40px">(a) Win key: Opens the Windows Acivity Tab (as it is now)<br>(b) Al=
t+Win key: Opens Applications.<br>(c) Alt+Space : Opens the Places Tab. (se=
e mock-ups above)<br>


<br>(d) In activity mode: Tab should toggle between Windows-Applictions-Pla=
ces.<br><br>(e) Up, Down, Left, Right navigation keys to easily browse thro=
ugh the icons displayed under the tab. This will be the different windows i=
n Windows tab, and different icons in Applications and Places tab.<br>


</div><br>6. Making search more logical: search works differntly for each t=
ab senario:<br><br><div style=3D"margin-left:40px">(a) Windows tab: searche=
s the currently running windows from all workspaces and shows the results o=
n top with a picture of the application (with a small overlay icon for quic=
k recognition). If no matching windows are found, then the search shows app=
lications with similar name that the user may open.<br>


This will help users switch an application running on another workspaces qu=
ickly. And incase it is not open, he can open it from the same search witho=
ut moving to the Applications tab (saves time).<br><br>(b) Application Tab:=
 Search will list the matchin applications in the category selected. <br>


Moving the category list to the left as mentioned earlier will make navigat=
ion easier. People are used to the left to right way of moving in menus. So=
 now user can: Click Applications (or Alt+Win) choose the category right un=
der the Applications tab (or press down to navigate) and then click on the =
icon (or move to right with key and get to the <br>


application and press Enter)<br><br>(c) Places: searches through the docume=
nts and files on the system or selected folder/place on the list on the lef=
t side. (haven&#39;t made a mock-up yet, but will be a cross between the Ap=
plications tab and the Nautilius with sidebar open.<br>


</div><br>Hope all this makes some sense.<br><br>regards,<span class=3D"HOE=
nZb"><font color=3D"#888888"><br><br>Jasir<br></font></span></div>
</div><br></div>

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