4 ms·

Unity also simply regresses on many UI issues, relevant not only to power users: * When a maximized window is behind an active non-maximized window, the panel

by Peaker 15y ago

Unity also simply regresses on many UI issues, relevant not only to power users: * When a maximized window is behind an active non-maximized window, the panel serves as its title bar. But it actually spells out the name of the active window. Very confusing. * Additionally, in the same situation, all of they standard mouse gestures on the panel (e.g: double-click to unmaximize) do not work. Maximized windows don't get the right-click-title gesture to work at all. * No window list at a glance (useful for remembering your context/state with the UI) * Hides important buttons such as close window, as well as the menus, where non-power-users will not know to look. * Panel unhide takes a relatively long time -- slowing down almost every interaction with the UI. * Workspace switcher does not support window drag, unlike the gnome panel workspace applets. * Workspace switcher requires multiple selections to switch to a window. * Alt-tab switches applications, not windows, which is more confusing, as it associates unrelated windows together, as if the mere fact they're implemented by a certain application necessarily means they relate. This also requires more keystrokes to reach the window you want -- when you don't have many of them in a workspace, which is a typical situation for organized users that actually use workspaces. I could go on and on. Unity is an immature, alpha-quality piece of work that seems to have been thrown out because of a deadline.

ricardobeat 15y ago
Many of these traits are shared with OS X. It's a different mindset, and I'm sure Canonical has done plenty of research on usability. From what I've seen most people who arent savvy computer users happen to like it.
- nknight 15y ago
  Please do not slander OS X like that. I've been a happy OS X user since 2005. I look at GNOME 3/Unity and I vomit. Vigorously. If this was an attempt to be Mac-like, then it was pure cargo-cult UI design. They clearly have no understanding of the actual design process. The last Linux desktop environment I was reasonably happy with was KDE 2.x. I tolerated 3.x.
  - morsch 15y ago
    Please, a bit less hyperbole and more constructive criticism.
    - nknight 15y ago
      Fine: > When a maximized window is behind an active non-maximized window, the panel serves as its title bar. But it actually spells out the name of the active window. Very confusing. This just doesn't happen in OS X that I've ever observed. It's in fundamental conflict with the OS X window management paradigm. > Additionally, in the same situation, all of they standard mouse gestures on the panel (e.g: double-click to unmaximize) do not work. Maximized windows don't get the right-click-title gesture to work at all. Again, this is just inapplicable to OS X. > No window list at a glance (useful for remembering your context/state with the UI) This is true for OS X, as far as it goes, but OS X UI practices seem to make it less of an issue than it would be on Windows or a typical Linux desktop environment. > Hides important buttons such as close window, as well as the menus, where non-power-users will not know to look. I'm not even sure what this one is about. It seems inapplicable to both Unity and OS X. > Panel unhide takes a relatively long time -- slowing down almost every interaction with the UI. Hiding off by default in OS X, quite fast to unhide. > Workspace switcher does not support window drag, unlike the gnome panel workspace applets. OS X supports this fully. > Workspace switcher requires multiple selections to switch to a window. Not true of OS X. > Alt-tab switches applications, not windows True of OS X. 8 properties total, 1 I can't make sense of, 2 that are more or less shared. If my post was hyperbole, the one I responded to claiming "many" of these were shared with OS X was, too.
- qntm 15y ago
  > I'm sure Canonical has done plenty of research on usability. Any links? I've found a few results from months ago, but results/feedback there weren't so positive. http://design.canonical.com/2010/11/usability-testing-of-unity/ http://design.canonical.com/2010/11/usability-testing-of-uni... http://lwn.net/Articles/438678/ http://lwn.net/Articles/438678/
enobrev 15y ago
> (e.g: double-click to unmaximize) Just a minor note, I just upgraded to 11.10 today. This seems to work correctly now.
kablamo 15y ago
For those that don't like it, the alt+tab behavior can be changed back to the traditional style in the CompizConfig Settings Manager. Try using the static workspace switcher.
- marcloney 15y ago
  I actually don't mind the alt+tab behaviour, although I do find it takes too long to open the sub-menu when I pause on a group.
gldalmaso 15y ago
> I could go on and on. Unity is an immature, alpha-quality piece of work that seems to have been thrown out because of a deadline. Usually in open source, real user feedback is better than guessing. I think Unity is maturing and will grow to be what really draws new users to Ubuntu. Keep in mind what has already been said, Ubuntu is not really geared towards power users (plenty other distros for that), its early motto was "Linux for human beings", and also bug #1 is "Microsoft has majority share on desktop". I'm pretty much enjoying this new direction and it's not keeping me from doing anything I need to, be it programming or browsing. Since it's new, I also understand that there will be lots of set backs if I want go around tweaking everything, but that will stabilize with time and I'm sure that Canonical will appreciate any feedback from users that do want to experiment. Also, I think it's pretty unreasonable to expect them to realease something new that will entirely support every other tweak and customization made with the old features.
- bergie 15y ago
  Usually in open source, real user feedback is better than guessing. Certainly. But that doesn't mean it is a good idea to push unfinished stuff as default. Though maybe that is the only way to get people who aren't technology enthusiasts to try the new thing and provide feedback.
marcloney 15y ago
I noticed the window issues when Unity was first introduced as many a Popup window would grab focus but the title bar controls were still for the underlying active window! What witchcraft is this!
splicer 15y ago
Regarding the new alt-tab behavior: check out alt-tilde. I love the combination of the two! It has a few bugs (e.g. try opening two terminals, then alt-tabbing... it doesn't switch applications), but it's definitely a step in the right direction IMO.

by Peaker 15y ago

ricardobeat 15y ago

Many of these traits are shared with OS X. It's a different mindset, and I'm sure Canonical has done plenty of research on usability. From what I've seen most people who arent savvy computer users happen to like it.

nknight 15y ago
Please do not slander OS X like that. I've been a happy OS X user since 2005. I look at GNOME 3/Unity and I vomit. Vigorously. If this was an attempt to be Mac-like, then it was pure cargo-cult UI design. They clearly have no understanding of the actual design process. The last Linux desktop environment I was reasonably happy with was KDE 2.x. I tolerated 3.x.
- morsch 15y ago
  Please, a bit less hyperbole and more constructive criticism.
  - nknight 15y ago
    Fine: > When a maximized window is behind an active non-maximized window, the panel serves as its title bar. But it actually spells out the name of the active window. Very confusing. This just doesn't happen in OS X that I've ever observed. It's in fundamental conflict with the OS X window management paradigm. > Additionally, in the same situation, all of they standard mouse gestures on the panel (e.g: double-click to unmaximize) do not work. Maximized windows don't get the right-click-title gesture to work at all. Again, this is just inapplicable to OS X. > No window list at a glance (useful for remembering your context/state with the UI) This is true for OS X, as far as it goes, but OS X UI practices seem to make it less of an issue than it would be on Windows or a typical Linux desktop environment. > Hides important buttons such as close window, as well as the menus, where non-power-users will not know to look. I'm not even sure what this one is about. It seems inapplicable to both Unity and OS X. > Panel unhide takes a relatively long time -- slowing down almost every interaction with the UI. Hiding off by default in OS X, quite fast to unhide. > Workspace switcher does not support window drag, unlike the gnome panel workspace applets. OS X supports this fully. > Workspace switcher requires multiple selections to switch to a window. Not true of OS X. > Alt-tab switches applications, not windows True of OS X. 8 properties total, 1 I can't make sense of, 2 that are more or less shared. If my post was hyperbole, the one I responded to claiming "many" of these were shared with OS X was, too.
qntm 15y ago
> I'm sure Canonical has done plenty of research on usability. Any links? I've found a few results from months ago, but results/feedback there weren't so positive. http://design.canonical.com/2010/11/usability-testing-of-unity/ http://design.canonical.com/2010/11/usability-testing-of-uni... http://lwn.net/Articles/438678/ http://lwn.net/Articles/438678/

enobrev 15y ago

> (e.g: double-click to unmaximize) Just a minor note, I just upgraded to 11.10 today. This seems to work correctly now.

kablamo 15y ago

For those that don't like it, the alt+tab behavior can be changed back to the traditional style in the CompizConfig Settings Manager. Try using the static workspace switcher.

marcloney 15y ago
I actually don't mind the alt+tab behaviour, although I do find it takes too long to open the sub-menu when I pause on a group.

gldalmaso 15y ago

> I could go on and on. Unity is an immature, alpha-quality piece of work that seems to have been thrown out because of a deadline. Usually in open source, real user feedback is better than guessing. I think Unity is maturing and will grow to be what really draws new users to Ubuntu. Keep in mind what has already been said, Ubuntu is not really geared towards power users (plenty other distros for that), its early motto was "Linux for human beings", and also bug #1 is "Microsoft has majority share on desktop". I'm pretty much enjoying this new direction and it's not keeping me from doing anything I need to, be it programming or browsing. Since it's new, I also understand that there will be lots of set backs if I want go around tweaking everything, but that will stabilize with time and I'm sure that Canonical will appreciate any feedback from users that do want to experiment. Also, I think it's pretty unreasonable to expect them to realease something new that will entirely support every other tweak and customization made with the old features.

bergie 15y ago
Usually in open source, real user feedback is better than guessing. Certainly. But that doesn't mean it is a good idea to push unfinished stuff as default. Though maybe that is the only way to get people who aren't technology enthusiasts to try the new thing and provide feedback.

marcloney 15y ago

I noticed the window issues when Unity was first introduced as many a Popup window would grab focus but the title bar controls were still for the underlying active window! What witchcraft is this!

splicer 15y ago

Regarding the new alt-tab behavior: check out alt-tilde. I love the combination of the two! It has a few bugs (e.g. try opening two terminals, then alt-tabbing... it doesn't switch applications), but it's definitely a step in the right direction IMO.