Where Do You Want Apps To Show Up By Default? Menu Or Desktop?

[Kramy]

I prefer a menu. I've always found the Linux/OSX "icons all over desktop" thing to be sloppy.

IMO /pandora/apps should be menu apps, and /pandora/apps/desktop should be desktop apps. Since your desktop can still overflow (hiding some of the icons), desktop should probably also be visible in the menu.

 

[jlepley]

Also, the apps that appear on the desktop should also appear on the menu. I might like to have Firefox on the desktop but I might also want to access it from the menu.

 

[WizardStan]

Indeed. They should always appear in the menu. The question should be how or if they appear on the desktop. Or such is my thinking.

 

[kagato]

Initially I liked the idea of dumping them on the desktop -- instant access and easy to pick stuff using your finger on the touchscreen.
But I can't think of a nice way of handling more than a screenful of apps.

So I've voted for the categorised menu (which I think should also been done, regardless).

As far as desktop handling is concerned, you could approximate the same solution by having an "Applications" folder on the desktop, and sticking the shortcuts in there. Opening it launches a fullscreen file browser with all the icons; which is similar enough to the desktop approach, with the advantage that you can scroll the window if necessary. Permanent shortcuts could be added just by copying an icon back to the desktop.

Alternatively, you could have an SD1 & SD2 icon pop up on the desktop, like on a Mac; though I think people would expect these to open the whole contents of the card, not just the app list.

If practical, I'd suggest an "Applications" folder in the top-left corner for automatic pnd-file shortcuts, SD1 & SD2 file-system icons in the top-right corner (when inserted), and the rest of the desktop can be used for manual shortcuts to favourite apps.

 

[Elanzer]

On my desktop I almost never view my desktop because there's always actual programs open ontop of it, I always use a menu. The only time I use anything on my desktop is when I reboot then never again until the next time, and with a device like the pandora I'd ideally just be using a low power suspend instead of turning it off. That and I plan on having tons of stuff installed, so 800x480 desktop will get consumed very fast.

Menu

 

[bzar]

Favorites on desktop, other launchers in the menu and/or a special directory. The special directory could be used as a full screen big icon menu by opening it with thunar (or whatever file manager we're having. Kinda like matchbox.

 

[DasFool]

I like being able to access things in multiple places. So I'd like for them to appear in a menu under headings depending on what type of application they are (games, applications, tools/utilities, etc.). In addition to that I think a way to be able to show them on the desktop would be to create a folder for each type of application on the desktop (if it's a new type that wasn't on the system before) containing a shortcut to the application. So let's say on your SD card you have a 3 games, 2 applications, and 5 tools/utilities. Upon inserting the SD card you get 3 folders on the desktop labeled "games," "applications," and "tools" accordingly, or if there are already some of those types on the nand then the folders exist already and the shortcuts just get added to those folders. That's how I do it now and I like the way it works.

 

[mali]

I voted menu. Don't want to cover up wallpapers.

 

[kuru]

Opinion: Definitely menu.
+ This shouldn't be a question really, since, as mentioned above, once you get a lot of apps it will clog your desktop.
+ Making favorited proggies default on your desktop sounds O.K. and should be configurable.
+ The supposition of having the categories of your programs turn up as folders on the desktop sounds good for me.
+ I'll most likely put any apps I use frequently in a folder on the desktop or directly onto the taskbar.

BTW, questions:
+ Do we get multiple desktops to switch between with some key combination? I'm very much in favor of that on my PC.
+ Same for fullscreen shell, I like having one with manpage, and one for doing stuff. Some SuSe version had it, you could use [someKey] + [2]...[5] to start new and switch between shells.

 

[Rayek]

Menu

I appreciate a neat and tidy workspace, choosing what goes on the desktop seems to be better than having something arbitrarily choose what goes there and fits the rest in a menu. It's the Pandora, I anticipate having more applications than there is desktop space.

 

[cappuchok]

I was never one for crowded desktops, so I vote Menu, but I'd like to be able to place a few selected apps on the desktop (but everything on the desktop should be in the menu as well), as per skeezix' brainfart.

 

[Prometheus]

BTW, questions:
+ Do we get multiple desktops to switch between with some key combination? I'm very much in favor of that on my PC.
+ Same for fullscreen shell, I like having one with manpage, and one for doing stuff. Some SuSe version had it, you could use [someKey] + [2]...[5] to start new and switch between shells.

I must say, I'm curious about these, too.

The full-screen shell isn't just a SuSE thing, though. (On my Kubuntu setup, it's CTRL + ALT + F1-through-F6, with CTRL + ALT + F7 switching me back to KDE. I'm another person who finds this quite useful, though I tend to simply use it in combination with nano for writing stuff without any distractions. )

 

[Elanzer]

BTW, questions:
+ Do we get multiple desktops to switch between with some key combination? I'm very much in favor of that on my PC.
+ Same for fullscreen shell, I like having one with manpage, and one for doing stuff. Some SuSe version had it, you could use [someKey] + [2]...[5] to start new and switch between shells.

Neither would be a problem, XFCE has virtual desktops with easy switching via key combination, and most distros let you switch to virtual terminal sessions much like you've described out of the box

 

[torpor]

I vote for Desktop, because then it really makes it a lot easier for grandma-style users to deal with an SD they receive in the mail. Just put the SD in the box, grandma, touch the shiny button, and start a-shootin' .. you adorable old thing you ..

 

[second exodous]

I hope that they keep the 'full screen shell' around, I use it all the time to do things that a gui would just slow down.

I plan on just having the largest SD cards I can so I'll put everything in menus and not switch out SD cards that much.

Those who want to have things on the desktop you could just have multiple desktops and have a key stroke like button B + right/left to scroll through the desktops. One desktop could be for RPGs, one for emulators, one for office apps, ect. In fact if someone does that I might use it.

 

[El Jefe]

What you are about to read is the be all end all of this issue:
Make like win XP OH YEAH
1. insert card
2. click through a few bubbles that pop up to tell you that you inserted a card
3. open start menu
4. click my computer
5. find the correct disk
6. open it, and find its applications folder
7. ???
8. PROFIT!!!

 

[Pleng]

The PNDs let apps specify one or more categories, right? I gathered that was the way pmenu would work, by plonking PNDs under the appropriate category tab?

So weather the PNDs are displayed on the Desktop or in a Menu, I'd hope that they too are displayed within categories.

As for which method to use, simple. The *first* time a user inserts an SD Card which has anything on it, display a dialogue box similar to this one:

What you are about to read is the be all end all of this issue:
Make like win XP OH YEAH
1. insert card
[blah blah]
8. PROFIT!!!

Uh, you know you can turn off auto-insert by default in WinXP, right?

Haven't Linux distributions caught up with the auto-insert options of Windows yet?

 

[Reyhn]

Categorized menu and favourites on the desktop is good. With an icon for each SD to explore it.

 

[Vorporeal]

Definitely menu.

If you go with the separate desktop and menu folders, I suggest that everything in the desktop folder ALSO gets added to the menu. The menu should have a comprehensive list of all applications on the Pandora (PND and otherwise), whereas the desktop should just have favorites (or equivalent).

 

[second exodous]

Haven't Linux distributions caught up with the auto-insert options of Windows yet?

Oh gosh, please no pop-up windows. The system that is being developed right now is much better than that.

This isn't about installing software, the software on the cards will already be ready to run, it's just where to put them.

Installing anything in Linux is much easier when you use a Repository, much much easier than in Windows or OSX. An 'App Store' is a repository, you search for what you want installed, click it and hit install, everything is put in the correct directories and icons are made.

As for what is on an SD card when it's inserted it is programs that exist on the card itself and does not need to be installed at all. With each program you could make it appear on the desktop through pnd or I'm sure somehow the program could be put in a menu instead.

This is not about installing software, hopefully everything will be installed through the Ångström repository or though the App Store that Craig is working on.

Honestly, why do windows people love pop-ups so much, every time I get on a windows machine to fix it it's thousands of pop-ups, it's like the computer doesn't think I'm smart enough to use the computer so it needs to have a pop-up for everything. The Pandora OS will be more streamlined than Windows is, no pop-ups necessary.