power-user's desktop is *tuned*, not just pre-set (was: Mac OS X v. Linux)

[Michael Shigorin]

On Fri, Jun 24, 2005 at 06:24:32PM -0400, Eric Dunbar wrote:
> > While that could be an interesting idea, folks have long ago
> > invented tabbed UI model (with shortcuts like Ctrl-Pg* to switch
> > between them being kind of standard) and virtual desktops.
> Unfortunately, no one has implemented a tabbed UI model under
> Linux (GNOME/KDE) or Windows.

*sigh*

To spare loads of key hits for me and list, "everyone knows Opera".
Of course, things like office packages *do* tend to lack both
tabs ATM and user level, as in NewDeal Office (former GeoWorks
Ensemble).

> ctrl-page up or ctrl-page down are poor solutions because they
> require TWO hands for right handed people (who make up 90% of
> users)

There's RCtrl on every keyboard I use, including Lifebook's one.
(yes I'm picky when *buying* keyboards :)

> or for any users who use a mouse right handedly.

Hint: they'd use the mouse to switch tabs.

> alt-~ or ctrl-~ are much better solutions since they require
> only one hand to activate whilst you can leave your hand on the
> mouse, and are something that ought to be implemented at the
> system level (GNOME/KDE/your favourite window manager)

It's single-direction feature and quite orthogonal to these; 
I didn't object your proposal is quite interesting but rather
have pointed out the more practical reasons which could just help
*you* *right now* to be productive and not wait for something.

See: I'm working on Desktop 2 right now.  It has a single window
running ssh, then screen, then two mutts.  It's my primary e-mail
UI; it's quite resilient to anything but traffic/power outages
and kind of "tabbed", the screen sessions can be added by C-a-c, 

  ...argh!  at this point I decided to drop it, leave mini-CDRW
  recording and take a shower, and my father (who asked to put
  fresh-taken photos on the medium) accidentally powered the
  system off while extracting the disk (acpid's good but asks
  no questions).

So the letter is finished off the notebook at the office where 
there are the same 7 desktops but the layout is completely
different -- vim; screen, screen, ssh, ssh (hm, 4 windows);
Psi; XMMS; Mozilla Mail; Mozilla (12 tabs, a tad too much for 
a single window at 1024x768); ssh; sudo su - (EVMS installer
components testing, heh).

  See, 4 windows per desktop is a disaster when it's 1024x768
  and not GIMP windows -- for me.  I prefer to do 0--3 windows
  per desktop and compensate with tabs or screen where needed.
  Together with a floating window list which is generally
  2/3-hidden (lurking at the dock space and moving out when
  mouse-overed) it yields quite operable workspace for me.

Mind you, I didn't expect the interruption and didn't save the
message, and it's still here to annoy you. :)

> > Maybe you'd spare quite a time by looking at them all and
> > learning basic screen(1) for some console sessions.
> Perhaps it might be time to enter the 21st century. screen "is
> soooo 1980s" (said with a valley-girl accent)! (and, yes, I did
> once upon a time OVER TEN YEARS AGO use screen ;-)

I hate 21st century for being way too silly in trying to look
smart.  And yes, screen(1) is "soooo" ...working that I prefer
to look as is, no fashion and cute-but-unreliable crap.

> > Still I suspect that learning proper *NIX-compatible editor
> > (meaning vim or (x)emacs) a bit would spare *loads* of time,
> > judging on admiration with built-in grep.
> vim and xemacs require knowledge of arcane commands which
> cannot be used in *any* other programs. It's kind of pointless
> to learn those well unless there's a major need to use them
> over something else.

I'll only hint "you're wrong".  The proof may be done by me,
others here, but best left up to you as an excercise.

  Gosh...  I've been trying to feed bread to people who don't
  grok milk properly yet (DISCLAIMER: nothing personal, it's an
  allegory, editors considered milk).  Not surprizing at all it
  was in vain: an editor, or even a virtual Symbolics-like
  machine is way simpler, stay alone tabbed UI.

PS: as Colin Watson has already pointed out, there's little sense
in "panacea" proposals since they tend to break where the person
didn't have the experience to foresee non-applicability.  Be it
different physical or logical keyboard layout, disabled user
(DISCLAIMER: in Russian/Ukrainian it's like "invalid", still
no offense intended), lack of RAM, screen resolution (argh...
where's my home sweet 21" :) or whatever.

Still it might be interesting, you can try to propose
window-group cycler key to KDE/GNOME usability projects
via appropriate bugtracking systems.  The others could import
that (but "the others" tend to have more educated users at the
entry level so it's already solved).

PPS: I hate US court system and particularly disclaimers, too.
Go figure...

-- 
 ---- WBR, Michael Shigorin <mike at altlinux.ru>
  ------ Linux.Kiev http://www.linux.kiev.ua/
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