The Clipper
Ideas about a 'clipper' and an in/out-based interface (moved from UserFeedback)
To preface with a disclaimer: I make no assertions that anything here can or should be done -- I had some spare time and thought about what I would want in a desktop, if no one else (i.e, use for constructive debate).. Pretty much everything here is self-explanitory: An idea for the Gnome 3 desktop (I know that is completely devoid of originality, but I feel like by making a start, and giving users/designers a way of giving input, a more original look can be developed over time). The idea for the pager being that the preview only comes up when you roll over the 'slider' device in the bottom-left hand column, otherwise you just drag it up to go up the desktop numbers or down to go down the desktop numbers). And secondly, an idea for a 'holding space'/clipbook to store all sorts of tidbits, files and documents is illustrated here: in 'idle' mode and with objects placed within a 'clipbook'. Again, for constructive debate/criticism. The idea being that you can store bits of information without having to create new files (like strings of text or colours on a colour palette) like a hybrid cut-and-paste, folder system. [BTW: if this is not the right place for suggestions/sandbox ideas, please feel free to cut and paste it to the right location; this was the best I could find.]
- The idea of the 'Clipper' basically stems from the idea of a icon/launch dock for information instead of for programs. The idea is this, a person is working on a presentation for their project. The open the related clipbook which contains say, key points of text they need to include, a task list of things to outline, several corporate colours from a GIMP pallette, a small section of a spreadsheet to use and maybe a logo a few pieces of clipart to include. On Windows, OSX or Gnome at the moment, this would require creating whole folders or having all the programs open at once. The idea of the Clipper is that a person just drags and drop these pieces of information into the holding zone and uses them when needed. Apart from the obvious benefit of having 'sub-file' information (information that's not quite a file) is that it also adds a context for organization. A piece of computer software could be used, like say Beagle or Spotlight, to connect these pieces of information (which would be unconnected otherwise to the computer) in to a semantic context (i.e., by the computer recording what information went from where to where, the computer could determine "This is a corporate document, you'll probably need these files" or "These were files you were using in relation to this document at this time"), which seems very contiguous with the current idea of the GNOME dashboard -- additional information which could be accessed in a way similar to the Dashboard on OS X: a hotkey locks the current working space and triggers some widgets to come up.
I like the clipbook idea - in ThreePointZero, the idea of sharing objects such as emails, documents, bookmarks and conversations between applications is outlined, and from there, each kind of object could be placed in the clipbook. To extend the idea of using these objects, what may be good would be to see a lot more GNOME applications integrated with Nautilus - 'plugging themselves in', so that, say, gedit, the GIMP, a web browser or a package manager could run inside a Nautilus window. Tabs in Nautilus might also help this feature - the user could work on a different kind of document (using a different application) in each tab at one time, browse files in another tab and still use the back and forward buttons to move between locations. - RobBrockway
- Another idea, similar to the Clipper, that came from a recent brainstorming session I had with a few colleagues was the idea of a more modular desktop with a clear In/Out paradigm. The idea being that icons pop up on the left side of the screen when information is being inputted into the computer (like a file being downloaded or a camera transferring information to a program) and information being sent from the computer (like printing or just sending a file) appears on the right hand side. Then, the computer could work in a more logical, modular way. For example, I plug my camera into the computer. The USB is detected and a small little popup docked in the left hand side of the screen showing that I have pictures waiting to transfer (maybe with a little camera icon). I either drag and dock or connect using a hotkey, F-Spot to this icon. The images move into the open album that I have and the icon disappears. Then, after I edit the program, I copy the file to a certain folder I have open in Nautilus. The actual windows connect to show there being some logical connection (i.e., I drag the thumbnail to a folder, and the folders align with an icon between them to show an operation occurring). I then open a friend's profile in Project Soylent, which adds their docked icon/drawer to the right hand of my screen and I drag/dock the image to that drawer to send the file to them. This visual feedback and intuitive workspace adds not only a satisfaction to the process (an in-tangible -- touchy-feely -- plus) but also a spatial logic to the operations. If I save a file, the browser can push out from the right hand side to suggest that I'm saving something, whereas the open dialog is docked on the left hand side. [left to right is, of course, the Western way of arranging this process due to our reading style, other cultures may want a reversed system to mimic their reading style].
That's a very interesting idea - it would work well, but there'd need to be a way around this problem: for example, suppose I want to send my friend an email - a familiar process that a lot of us go through on most days. I could type the message in some flashy futuristic form of gedit or similar, and it becomes a 'memo' object - something that I might be able to stick on my desktop or send on to someone. My friend is part of my list of contacts, and I could drag the memo over to their icon to send it to them. That's an out process. However, when they reply - and a little message pops up by their icon saying that I've received an email from them - it would be an in process. Where would the icon representing my friend be - on the left or the right? Or would there be two icons for them, one on each side? The latter would clutter the screen up a bit much. Another similar problem would occur when I have a camera, audio player, pen drive or (dare I say it) floppy disk plugged in - something which I want both to take stuff off and put stuff on - where would the icon be? So there may or may not be a way around the left/right thing, but being able to drag and drop to and from icons is a must-have for GNOME 3. - RobBrockway
I guess, with an idea like the icon arrangements, it would be largely dependent on context, message and would probably end up being a guideline rather than the set-in-stone rule (i.e., Gaim status messages on left, whereas outgoing file transfers would be on the right). Is there any set aside place for further discussion on crazy new ideas for Gnome for peer review and amendment? [moved].
