Proposed panel menu structure for hoary

[Matt Zimmerman]

On Sat, Dec 04, 2004 at 02:47:10AM +1100, Jeff Waugh wrote:

> First off, the Applications menu. Simple goal here - let's keep the focus on
> the apps. :-) Up top is a 4-8 item dynamic list of regularly used apps, so
> you have fassssst access to stuff you run all the time (this will also be
> available as a panel applet). Under the application submenus, we have an
> "Add, Remove, Update" item (which I'll explain in a later email) and the old
> "Run Application..." item.

To disambiguate - are you saying that the application submenus will each
have a "Run Application..." item, or there will continue to be a single one
at the top level?

> The first major change in this proposal is the "Places" menu, which replaces
> the top chunk of warty's Computer menu. Here we give users fast, top-level
> access to their most commonly used folders, and attached storage devices.

Places is a new top-level menu (such that we will have three, rather than
Warty's two), correct?

> Most of this menu should be shared with the Nautilus 'Places' menu, perhaps
> excluding the bottom three items (including the separator).
> 
>   Places
>     Home            Stuff in Nautilus "Places" menu:
>     Desktop           Home, Computer, Templates, Trash and CD Creator.
>     Documents
>     [Personal GtkFileChooser Bookmarks]

What's your stance on having first-class places for other user data which
are not intuitively documents (music, photos)?

>     ---
>     [Disks]

This will be dynamic, to include automounted devices, correct?

> Finally, we have a 'System' menu. Suggestions welcome for a better name, as
> 'System' is remarkably generic. Another option is shifting this to an icon
> only menu at the top left (like the Apple menu in OS X). I'm not convinced
> it's important enough for that, however, but we could include some funkier
> stuff to make it so (longer discussion).

If there is one element in this design which could deserve more exposure, I
think it's the most-used applications.  Apple decided these were important
enough to have them always in view, and not even behind a menu (though they
put too many things there).

> Anyway, this menu covers global functions, such as desktop preferences and
> system configuration, help and support oriented functions, and logging out.
> 
>   System
>     Desktop Preferences >
>     System Configuration >
>     ---
>     Take Screenshot...
>     Help
>     About Ubuntu...
>     ---
>     Lock screen
>     Log Out

"Actions"? *duck*

-- 
 - mdz