1. Tab Implementation

This page describes current tab implentations in GNOME, bugs relating to those implementations, and previous discussions on the topic. The aim is to bring together existing material on tabs in GNOME, with a view to improve those implementations.

See also UsabilityProject/HIG

1.1. Applications Affected

• Epiphany
• GNOME-Terminal
• GEdit
• Nautilus
• Empathy
• Also - preferences dialogs etc

1.2. Review

A review of existing discussion (primarily within mailing lists and bug reports) around tabs in GNOME:

• /Summary - a high-level summary of the review of existing discussion on tabs.

• /TabAppearance - tab width, close buttons, displaying large numbers of tabs, tab bar, tab alignment, tab states.

• /InteractingWithTabs - drag and drop reordering, tab context menu, docking and detaching, new tab placement

• /IntegratingTabsIntoApplications - keyboard shortcuts, closing windows and tabs, tabs menu, open new tab by double click

1.3. Implementations

/ExistingImplementations - a comparison of how tabs are currently implemented in GNOME.

1.4. Bugs

/TabBugs - GNOME bugs on the subject of tabs.

1.5. Discussion and research

Useful resources on the design of tabs:

• https://wiki.ubuntu.com/TabConsistency

• http://homepage.mac.com/bradster/iarchitect/tabs.htm

• http://weblogs.mozillazine.org/ben/archives/009210.html

• http://people.mozilla.com/~faaborg/files/20070509-CHI2007/p1783.pdf

• http://scienceblogs.com/cognitivedaily/2008/12/casual_fridays_whos_tabhappy_a.php

• http://railean.net/index.php/2009/01/09/dealing_with_tab_bloat_part_two

• Mozilla design challenge:

  • http://design-challenge.mozilla.com/summer09/

  • http://design-challenge.mozilla.com/summer09/showcase.php

• http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/23/chromium-nightly-debuts-a-new-new-tab-concept-for-google-chrom/ - Google Chrome tab concept

• https://wiki.mozilla.org/Tabbed_Browsing/User_Interface_Design/Tab_Overflow - Lots of links here

1.5.1. Mailing List Threads

Existing mailing list threads on the subject of tabs in GNOME:

• http://mail.gnome.org/archives/usability/2009-February/msg00001.html (Usability list) - discussion of this review, addresses the visibility of the tab bar

• http://mail.gnome.org/archives/nautilus-list/2008-June/msg00017.html (Nautilus list) - tab discussion

• http://mail.gnome.org/archives/usability/2005-June/msg00147.html (Usability list) - tabs

• http://mail.gnome.org/archives/usability/2004-September/msg00058.html (Usability list) - tab states (read-only indication in Gedit)

• http://mail.gnome.org/archives/usability/2004-March/msg00118.html (Usability list) context menus on tabs

• http://mail.gnome.org/archives/usability/2006-November/msg00042.html (Usability list) - tab states

• http://mail.gnome.org/archives/epiphany-list/2003-August/msg00208.html (Epiphany list) - 'Tab options' [Yet to be reviewed]

1.6. Comments

A great deal of discussion has been had in Bugzilla on this topic. It would be great if this page could provide a list of conclusion from all this discussion. (JohnPeterson)

I'm reviewing these bugs in an attempt to summarise the discussion so far - I'm posting my work in progress below [it's above now]. (AllanDay)

CategoryUsability