Better solution than dock
I think the dock has some disadvantages in usability:
1. If visible either the dock overlays the windows or it reduces the space for windows. And if hidden it can accidently opened by moving the cursor down without want to open it. (A visible target in a corner would be better (Fitt's Law) and hidden elements without a target are always a problem.).
2. It is always confusing, that icons of running apps and icons of nun-running apps are mixed. It would be better, if shortcuts for starting apps and elements for switching between open apps would be separated. (Also then it would be easier to see if any apps are running and which apps are running. And switching would be easier too.)
3. Because of (2) the behaviour of dock-icons is inconsistent: some icons (of non-running apps) open the app while others (of running apps) switch to this app. And inconsistency always is one of the biggest usability-problems.
4. Shortcuts to your favorite apps are at the bottom of the screen and if you don't see it there "All Apps" are at the top of the screen.
By the way:
There is a very interesting article about the bad usability of the Mac-OS-dock Of course the elementary-dock is much better than this and not all of these criticized items are in elementarys dock. But it is still worth reading: http://
Conclusion:
Even if the dock of elementaryOS is much better than the dock in Mac OS, there are still some problems of the dock. The most important are the 4 listed above.
Solution:
Shortcuts to your favorite apps should be in the wingpanel, right-sided to the "All Apps"-Menu. For switching there are already the expose-
Blueprint information
- Status:
- Complete
- Approver:
- None
- Priority:
- Undefined
- Drafter:
- None
- Direction:
- Needs approval
- Assignee:
- None
- Definition:
- Obsolete
- Series goal:
- None
- Implementation:
-
Unknown
- Milestone target:
- None
- Started by
- Completed by
- Danielle Foré
Related branches
Related bugs
Sprints
Whiteboard
I think it comes down to a personal taste.
1. I like plank big. I don't want to hunt miniature panel to launch apps.
2. I don't want my shortcuts to fav apps to be near all apps. If you want that, you should go back to Gnome 2.0 days. Otherwise, I want my icons for those to be pretty and have a good normal 48x48 size (especially on hi-res screens)
3. I see no problem separating running apps vs. non-running apps in plank. Maybe it's a contrast issue in the theme?
4. I also don't see much difference between running an app and switching to it: I click the app icon. App appears. Who cares whether it just ran or was switched to?
We have branches that solve problems raised in #1. Other points are largely opinion points. Marking as obsolete --DanRabbit.
