Docks (was: Re: How to remove things from task bar

[ubuntu at howorth.org.uk]

peter at silmaril.ie wrote:
> On 04/05/2022 10:11, Oliver Grawert wrote:
> > Am Dienstag, dem 03.05.2022 um 16:46 -0700 schrieb Bob:  
> >> The thing that is on the left side of the display.  
> > 
> > GNOME calls that thing "the Dock"   
> 
> Ever since we settled down to basically three operating systems (Mac, 
> Win, Lin) we have seen several different names for this feature. I 
> suspect some of the choices have been picked to avoid treading on the 
> toes of other OSs (legally or otherwise).
> 
> It doesn't help that there are lots of different reasons for such a 
> feature. There is also the "novelty-hunting" approach of some
> developers inventing new names by grasping at straws to differentiate
> their system from every other one (which in fact is probably what the
> users DON'T want).
> 
> dock taskbar toolbar panel bryce tray ... any more names?
> 
> Uses:
> 
> 1. somewhere for the launcher icons of frequently-used applications
> to live, to avoid the tedium of going through the system's menus
> every time you want to run an application.
> 
> 2. somewhere to park (minimize) an application still currently in use 
> but not immediately needed, because you are going to want to come
> back to it very soon but you don't need it taking up desktop space at
> the moment.
> 
> 3. somewhere for the system to signal that an application is
> currently executing somewhere, even when minimized, parked,
> suspended, or even hung.
> 
> 4. Somewhere for the system's own icon[s] to live (menu, shutdown,
> show desktop)
> 
> 5. Somewhere for status indicators to live: mail, printer, network, 
> bluetooth, security, language, keyboard, volume, date/time, and more.
> 
> The desktop itself can be used for some of these functions, but this 
> (along with self-hiding or pop-up docks) can lead to usability
> problems.
> 
> What's the best way to refer to this thingy in documentation for new
> users?
> 
> Peter

A dock to me is a hardware device where I plug in something like a
laptop to access other devices. A toolbar is a feature of some
application programs. I've no idea what a 'bryce' is.

Personally I tend to use panel, but I could live with taskbar or tray.