LTV Tabbed Favorites Bar

The “Favorites Bar” is a tabbed launcher application. There are 4 tabs, Computer, Applications, Documents, and People, correlated to the 4 tabs on the main menu. Newer systems could use clutter based animations, while older systems could use static/non-scaling icons.

Though inspired by AWN and the tab-based Mayanna Bar, the Favorites Bar does not display window buttons like AWN -- those are displayed on the top panel (discussed below). The Favorites Bar is a tool for displaying a user’s favorite objects, be they application launching icons, commonly accessed files or folders, panel displays (such as the system monitor, trash can, or desktop switcher), or even desktop widgets/screenlets/desklets.

As soon as a new object is added (by either dragging the object into the tabbed zone, or right clicking an object and choosing “add to favorites”), the Favorites bar automatically categorizes and files it into the appropriate tab based on its file-type. So, for instance, when the computer detects you have added a “favorites” file ending in .png, or .jpg, it automatically knows it is a kind of document, and files it under the documents tab. A list of all favorites can be viewed at one time by going to the “Computer Menu” panel – “Favorites” is the first option at the top of the panel.

The Favorites Bar uses a scrollable icon system instead of scalable icons (AWN). Scalable icons result in a messy look, and shifting icon sizes makes them moving targets -- sub-optimal by Fitt’s Law. There are good arguments for and against AWN-type docks, but the biggest is to not look too much like competing OSs. I imagine at least three possible ways of scrolling: a) track-pad or mouse scroll-wheel scrolling; b) zone-based acceleration; or c) a pull-bar that become visible on mouse-over.