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I do subjectively find single-window apps more usable, and think they are objectively more approachable. Talk from yesterday on a thread about the Skype UI: htt

I do subjectively find single-window apps more usable, and think they are objectively more approachable. Talk from yesterday on a thread about the Skype UI: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12086898 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12086898

bildung 10y ago
Thanks for the link! I think it's not really possible to derive general conclusions, regardless of the app in question, though. Compared to Gimp or Inkscape, Skype is a different class of application. From my personal experience, most people doing graphics usually have a multiple monitor setup. That alone rules out Gimp's single window mode for me.
- ronjouch 10y ago
  Totally agreed that Skype is a different beast than Gimp/Inkscape. Putting aside the discussion on Skype, I was answering your "I have no idea why one could find single-window more usable" from my point of view, that is, a newbie user doing the occasional edit/filter/crop. For such a casual use case, yes I find the single-window mode more usable.
Grue3 10y ago
Completely different usecase. In GIMP you often need to have several images open. Side by side. With separate windows you can position them in any way you want. With a single window you need to have them opened in separate tabs and switch back and forth? Pointless. What's "objectively more approachable" for one application, makes zero sense for another.
- ronjouch 10y ago
  For your use case, I have no doubt :) . For my casual editing needs, though, I'm happy with a simple(r) single-window mode. Nowhere to get lost, everything in one place.
- brianpgordon 10y ago
  This problem was solved decades ago: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_document_interface https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_document_interface When you alt-tab to the application, all of the child windows come to the foreground. You don't have to alt-tab 4 times to bring all of the various windows forward individually.

bildung 10y ago

Thanks for the link! I think it's not really possible to derive general conclusions, regardless of the app in question, though. Compared to Gimp or Inkscape, Skype is a different class of application. From my personal experience, most people doing graphics usually have a multiple monitor setup. That alone rules out Gimp's single window mode for me.

ronjouch 10y ago
Totally agreed that Skype is a different beast than Gimp/Inkscape. Putting aside the discussion on Skype, I was answering your "I have no idea why one could find single-window more usable" from my point of view, that is, a newbie user doing the occasional edit/filter/crop. For such a casual use case, yes I find the single-window mode more usable.

Grue3 10y ago

Completely different usecase. In GIMP you often need to have several images open. Side by side. With separate windows you can position them in any way you want. With a single window you need to have them opened in separate tabs and switch back and forth? Pointless. What's "objectively more approachable" for one application, makes zero sense for another.

ronjouch 10y ago
For your use case, I have no doubt :) . For my casual editing needs, though, I'm happy with a simple(r) single-window mode. Nowhere to get lost, everything in one place.
brianpgordon 10y ago
This problem was solved decades ago: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_document_interface https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_document_interface When you alt-tab to the application, all of the child windows come to the foreground. You don't have to alt-tab 4 times to bring all of the various windows forward individually.