4 ms·

I don't think a hierarchical menu is needed. What purpose would that help with? I think instead they should focus on making it easy to search in the launcher.

by nnutter 16y ago

I don't think a hierarchical menu is needed. What purpose would that help with? I think instead they should focus on making it easy to search in the launcher. One cool feature they have is that it can listed installed apps as expected but also apps available in Software Center. Hopefully, someone can search for "draw" and get appropriate apps listed. Or for "GIMP" and either launch of install the app.

dman 16y ago
Hierarchical menus help with app discoverability by showing all the apps the system has to offer.
- nnutter 16y ago
  You can view all the apps installed just fine. Ubuntu, unlike many distros, doesn't install 10 of every kind of app so I don't think its necessary.
- hasenj 16y ago
  I've always found such menus more confusing than anything. Can you guess under which menu is the termina/command line program is hidden? No, unless you know in advance that it's under "Accessories". I mean, why isn't it under "system" or "programming"? It's too hard to guess what the menu author(s) were thinking so it's always hard to guess where a certain program is.
  - dman 16y ago
    Think of the first time you ever used a computer. I agree that once you know that there is a app called terminal, using the Hierarchical menu might not be the best way to launch/use it. But the very first time you use a computer, its useful to see "Ahh - I can do Graphics, Programming, System Administration, Games. Oh wow it even has Solitaire!". So a hybrid approach with something like Gnome-Do for power users while retaining the hierarchical menu for regular users is optimal imo. Heck a lot of power users even create application sessions and do most of their app launching automatically at startup.
stonemetal 16y ago
Exploration, with a menu I can explore and see what is there. Search only means I can randomly type stuff in and see what happens but I never know the extents of the system.
nnutter 16y ago
You should check out a review if you haven't actually used the UI. http://maketecheasier.com/ubuntu-natty-beta-1-review-screenshots-tour/2011/04/03 http://maketecheasier.com/ubuntu-natty-beta-1-review-screens...

by nnutter 16y ago

dman 16y ago

Hierarchical menus help with app discoverability by showing all the apps the system has to offer.

nnutter 16y ago
You can view all the apps installed just fine. Ubuntu, unlike many distros, doesn't install 10 of every kind of app so I don't think its necessary.
hasenj 16y ago
I've always found such menus more confusing than anything. Can you guess under which menu is the termina/command line program is hidden? No, unless you know in advance that it's under "Accessories". I mean, why isn't it under "system" or "programming"? It's too hard to guess what the menu author(s) were thinking so it's always hard to guess where a certain program is.
- dman 16y ago
  Think of the first time you ever used a computer. I agree that once you know that there is a app called terminal, using the Hierarchical menu might not be the best way to launch/use it. But the very first time you use a computer, its useful to see "Ahh - I can do Graphics, Programming, System Administration, Games. Oh wow it even has Solitaire!". So a hybrid approach with something like Gnome-Do for power users while retaining the hierarchical menu for regular users is optimal imo. Heck a lot of power users even create application sessions and do most of their app launching automatically at startup.

stonemetal 16y ago

Exploration, with a menu I can explore and see what is there. Search only means I can randomly type stuff in and see what happens but I never know the extents of the system.

nnutter 16y ago

You should check out a review if you haven't actually used the UI. http://maketecheasier.com/ubuntu-natty-beta-1-review-screenshots-tour/2011/04/03 http://maketecheasier.com/ubuntu-natty-beta-1-review-screens...