Ubuntu Studio 11.10 UI discussion. GNOME3, Unity, XFCE and Studio users workflow.

[C K]

On Fri, Apr 15, 2011 at 1:28 PM, Scott Lavender
<scottalavender at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On Fri, Apr 15, 2011 at 10:52 AM, C K <coryisatm at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> So since no competing proposals against using XFCE have been put forth I'll consider it a done deal. We're going with XFCE.
>> Over the next few weeks I'll be studying the technical aspects of making this happen. Setting themes, working on a default UI, (I'll just use Xubuntu's for now) making new packages and testing upgrade paths. I worry this will break existing Studio users setups. Or at least add alot of cruft. I'll also be reaching out to the Xubuntu folks.
>> I hope to set up a PPA that can be added on top of a base CLI install for testing.
>> Any interesting ideas from other XFCE distros are welcome.
>
> Cory,
>
> Do have an idea of which dock you are considering.  I would really like to talk to the developer (whomever it is) about my idea of a "context" area for work flows.
>
> My idea is pretty simple but slightly hard to explain.
>
> The dock would be  divide into a left "static" section and a right "dynamic" or "contextual work flow" section.
>
> The left side would contain all non-work flow launchers that would remain there always visible.  For example, these might include Firefox, Gedit, Terminal, Nautilus.
>
> The first launcher on the right side would contain a "context" or "work flow" selection launcher..more of a pick list really.  You pick which work flow you want and this controls what other launchers on the right side are visible.
>
> For example, if you wanted to record audio then you pick the "record audio" work flow from the selector and qjackctl, Ardour, Hydrogen, Rakarrack, and guitarix launchers might be visible.  If you were to pick "mastering" then perhaps qjackctl, ardour, and jamin would be visible.
>
> We could ship a sane default of both "work flow" selections and applications for each selection.  However, users should be able to easily modify them and add new ones.
>
> The upshot to all of this is that you will not need to drill down menus, nor even need menus.  Well, conventional menus.  Additionally, you will not load up your dock with a bagillion launchers and have to try to sort through them.  When you wish to perform a certain task, you adjust the selection on the right side of the dock and only those launchers that support your workflow are visible.  Add to that that users can modify or add or remove both selections and applications and I think this is a win.
>
> Whew.  Not that I said all that, Cory do you have a feeling which dock you are considering?
>
>

AWN (avant-window-navigator) is the only one I mentioned. Though
really, whatever best replaces a panel, actually, whatever is the best
balance for us is what we should use.
I use AWN and Docky on different systems. AWN works nicer without
compositing IMO.
I also wanted to look into "stacking" applets. (awn has one:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tSxyVygKnu0/TT-8DRg0wlI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/PEsFN3eVdDQ/s320/stack_applet.png)
See if its something we can populate with task focused apps. Like we
do with the Studio menus.
Anyone else have ideas here?

--
-Cory K.