GDM login proposal (WIP)

Introduction

This is a "simple" GDM Login Screen design. The main goal is to give the most attention to the user's background picture and not cover it with messages, icons and warnings. As the selected background picture is a very personal choice. This shouldn't be covered by too much clutter. Keep it simple, stupid. New messages don't pop up right away. They are collected in the back. The user can enjoy the background and gets some small hints that something happened while he was away. This should keep the personal flavor and still give the user the ability to access everything on demand - without logging in. Moreover its design will make it easy to use it without the mouse.

It's still work in progress (WIP), therefore, things may change over time and other details may be missing!

Startup

This shows the Startup Screen after booting the system:

• The background picture isn't covered by UI elements
• In the upper left corner you see the system date and time.
• The ordinary top bar isn't there anymore. The design is lighter without it.
• To the lower left you see the system status icons (the shutdown button may change)
• To the right of the system icons you can control your media player without logging in.
• The bottom centered arrow is a small hint that by dragging the screen to the top you will get to the login screen

Lock Screen + New Messages

You've locked your desktop and you now you see that Lock Screen. While you were away from keyboard new messages or system warnings came in. The Lock Screen collected them for you at the message panel below. If there are new messages you will notice the orange attention icon to the bottom right. By clicking on it the message panel pops up.

• In case of new messages the panel doesn't entirely popup. It only shows its top border to give you a hint that there are new messages in place.
• Also an orange attention icon pops up to its right
• By clicking or moving the mouse to the message panel border or just the bottom of the screen the message panel pops up
• You still can login as normal by pressing the Enter key

Message Panel

If you come back to your computer, you'll see the little orange attention icon in the lower-right corner. Now you press the CursorUp key or the Space key and the message panel fully pops up at the bottom.

• The shutdown icon sticks to its place and is now shown in the Message Panel
• New message icons are shown to the right. Indicated by a small orange attention icon
• Hovering the icons shows the corresponding message details next to it
• Clicking a message icon opens the login panel if needed
• Clicking outside the message panel closes it and fades out the attention icon

Login panel

The login areas is shown by dragging the background picture up or pressing the Enter key:

• The login panel is sliding in from the bottom/top/middle
• To its left side you see login area
• Alternative login options are indicated by some icons to the right side
• Hovering the login option icons behaves like the message icons and pops up the corresponding option name to it's right

Alternatives