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Contents
1.0 Proposal for GNOME 2.0 Menu Structure
2.0 Ximian GNOME 1.4 Menus
3.0 Core GNOME 1.4 Menus
Revision History
Revision | Date | Author | Synopsis |
1 | 7/10/2001 | Nils |
First Pass |
2 | 7/18/01 | Nils | Feedback from #usability channel |
3 | 8/2/01 | Nils | Added Tooltip Proposal. Moved Binary/Hexidecimal File Editor (GHex) under Development. Removed Font and Color Selector. Reordered some of the menu items in Utilities. Changed Disk Usage (GNOME DiskFree) to File System Usage |
4 | 8/11/01 | Nils |
More feedback from IRC and email. |
5 | 8/25/01 | Nils |
More feedback |
1.0 Proposal for GNOME 2.0 Menu Structure
If we had a decent panel management app, I'd suggest a two panel layout similar to Ximian's. With no panel management app, I think we should go with one panel as default. There should also only be one menu structure. End-user support costs will be improved if there are no dueling menus. Anyway since this menu proposal is just structural, it is somewhat independent of the final implementation (look and feel).
In talking to Seth, it seems like we may be going for a two panel layout with a new control center launched panel management/editing app (which also does menu editing). I guess the details also need to be worked out with George - who was planning to do a menu editing app - but if the app is architected okay, if think these tasks can be done in parallel.
The policies I used for the menu items were:
- Reduce the number of "G"isms
- Minimize product name usage
- Consistent capitalization
- Removal of Applets from menus (they should only be accessed from panel configuration)
- Separation of programs and actions
- No more favorites - users can add menu items anywhere
- Didn't like Finance category, so created a new Productivity (better name?) category
We really really need a complete new tool to configure the panel and menus.
The policies I used for the tooltips were:
- Verb based descriptions (mostly)
- Consistent capitalization - first word and for GNOME terms
- No full stop at the end
Some of the menu item name changes mean that the menu name will be different to the application name. I guess there is an assumption here that either the application changes its name to be the same as the new menu new, or at the very least, the application adds the menu name to the window title, for example, "Web Browser - Mozilla", instead of just "Mozilla". Or on the other hand, perhaps we could go for menu labels that have the app name in parenthesis Mail (Evolution), Mail (Netscape Messenger)? Maybe the ApplicationType (ApplicationInstance) label could be generated auto-magical from the keywords stored in the .desktop file?
Old Name in (brackets)
Core GNOME 2.0 (Panel) |
|
Applications - menu - See Table Below [The applications you can run on this computer] | |
Actions - new menu - See Table Below [Some of the main actions or commands you can run on this computer] | |
Web Browser (Mozilla) - icon on panel [Browse the World Wide Web or local HTML documents] | |
Email (Evolution) - icon on panel [Read and send email, manage tasks, contacts, and calendars] | |
User's Home (Nautilus) - icon on panel [Manage your files and documents] | |
Terminal - icon on panel [Used to enter commands] | |
Help - icon on panel [View help and documentation on the GNOME desktop] |
maybe put Text File Editor (gedit/gnome-edit) on the main panel as well??
GNOME 2.0 Applications Menu (foot menu) |
||
Applications | Internet | Web Browser (Mozilla) [Use to browse the World Wide Web or local HTML documents] |
Email (Evolution) [Read and send email, manage tasks, contacts, and calendars] | ||
Multimedia | CD Player [Play music CDs] | |
Sound Recorder [Record sound clips] | ||
Volume Monitor [Monitor the sound output volume] | ||
Productivity | Calendar (Evolution) [Keep track of appointments] | |
Time Tracking Tool [Keep track of the amount of time you spend on various tasks] | ||
Finance Manager (Gnucash) [Manage your personal finances] | ||
Graphics | Image Editor (GIMP) [Create and edit images] | |
Image Viewer [View images] | ||
Postscript and PDF Viewer [View Postscript and Portable Document Format (PDF) files] | ||
Utilities | Calculator [Perform simple arithmetic tasks] | |
Dictionary [An online dictionary] | ||
Character Map [Insert special characters into documents] | ||
Bug Report Tool [File bugs on GNOME] | ||
Text File Editor [View and edit text files] | ||
Development Tools | Interface Designer (Glade) [Easily create GTK 2.0 based user interfaces] | |
Binary/Hexidecimal File Editor [View and edit files in binary and hexidecimal format] | ||
Memory Leak Detector [Check your application for memory leaks] | ||
Games (have not touched) | FreeCell [someone who is more familair wih games needs to work on this section] | |
gataxx | ||
Glines | ||
Gnibbles | ||
Gnobotsll | ||
Gnome-Stones | ||
Gnometris | ||
Gnome Mines | ||
Gnotravex | ||
Gnotski | ||
GTali | ||
gTuring | ||
Iagno | ||
Mahjongg | ||
Same Gnome | ||
Desktop Settings [Change your desktop look and behavior] | (invokes Nautilus or stand-alone CC) | |
System | Terminal [Used to enter commands] | |
X Terminal [Type in UNIX commands with the standard X Terminal] | ||
System Information [Displays basic information on your computer] | ||
System Monitor [View the processes, memory and file system information of your computer] | ||
Performance Plotter [Graph certain system attributes over time] | ||
File System Usage [A graphical view of file system usage] | ||
System Log Viewer [A view of of the UNIX syslog] | ||
User Listing [Shows all the users logged onto your system] | ||
User's Home (Nautilus) [Manage your files and documents] | ||
Recently Run [Keeps track of the last application you ran] | 1st program last used | |
2nd program last used | ||
... | ||
10th program last used | ||
Help [View help and documentation on the GNOME desktop] |
I assume the CDE/Sun/Solaris and other platform specific menus would be a child of the Programs menu.
GNOME 2.0 Actions Menu |
|
Run... [Run applications, if you know the correct command to type in] | |
Search...[Find files, folders, and documents on your computer] | |
Shut Down or Reboot [Turn off or restart your computer] | |
Lock Display (Lock Screen) [Protect your computer from unauthorized use] | |
Log Out [Quit from the GNOME desktop] |
2.0 Ximian GNOME 1.4 Menus
Following is a table showing the Ximian GNOME 1.4 menu structure:
Ximian GNOME 1.4 (foobar menu) | |||
Programs | Adressbook | Gnomecard | |
Audio | Grip CD Player/Ripper | ||
XMMS Media Player | |||
Gnapster | |||
Recorder | |||
Volume Control | |||
Calendar | Gnomecal Calendar | ||
Time Tracker | |||
Finance | Calculator | ||
Gnucash Finance Manager | |||
Internet
|
Mozilla Web Browser | ||
Evolution | |||
Mozilla Mail | |||
GAIM Instant Messenger | |||
X Chat IRC Chat |
|||
GnomeICU Instant Messenger | |||
Gnapster | |||
PAN News Reader | |||
GFTP | |||
Red Carpet | |||
Games | Solitaire | ||
FreeCell | |||
Iagno | |||
Mahjongg | |||
GLines | |||
Nibbles | |||
Mines | |||
Gataxx | |||
Klotski | |||
Tetravex | |||
Stones | |||
Same Gnome | |||
Graphics | Dia Diagram Editor | ||
GPhoto Digital Camera Tool | |||
GIMP Image Editor | |||
GQView Image Viewer | |||
Postscipt/PDF Viewer | |||
Software Development | Emacs Text Processor | ||
Glade UI Designer | |||
MemProf Memory Profiler | |||
Utilities | Terminal | ||
Calculator | |||
Character Picker | |||
Dictionary | |||
Floppy Formatter | |||
GEdit Notepad | |||
Bug Buddy Problem Reporter | |||
Red Carpet | |||
GTop System Monitor | |||
Mozilla Web Browser | |||
Gnumeric Spreadsheet | |||
Favorites | |||
Applets | Amusements | Fish | |
Fifteen | |||
gEyes | |||
Game of Life | |||
Odometer | |||
Clocks | Clock | ||
Another Clock | |||
AfterStep Clock | |||
Clock and Mailcheck | |||
JBC Binary Clock | |||
Monitors | Battery Charge Monitor | ||
CPULoad | |||
CPU/MEM Usage | |||
Disk Usage | |||
Load Average | |||
Mem Load | |||
NetLoad | |||
SwapLoad | |||
Stripchart | |||
Multimedia | CD Player | ||
Mixer | |||
Sound Monitor | |||
XMMS Applet | |||
Network | Mailcheck | ||
Clock and Mailcheck | |||
GNOME Stock Ticker | |||
Modem Lights | |||
SlashApp | |||
Web Control | |||
RH PPP Dialer | |||
Gaim | |||
GnomeICU | |||
Utility | Desk Guide | ||
Printer Applet | |||
Tasklist | |||
Character Picker | |||
Drive Mount | |||
GKB Keyboard Switcher | |||
GDict | |||
GNOME Weather | |||
Mini-Commander | |||
QuickLaunch | |||
ScreenShooter | |||
Tick-a-Stat | |||
Where Am I? | |||
System | Settings... | ||
Get Software... | |||
Find... | |||
Run... | |||
Lock Screen | |||
Log Out | |||
Help | Frequently Asked Questions | ||
User's Manual | |||
Chat | |||
Report a Problem | |||
Mozilla | |||
Terminal | |||
Clock | |||
TaskList |
Some Pros and Cons of the Ximian Menu Structure
For
- After initially disliking Ximian's sole use of the foobar menu, i've grown to quite like it. Menus at the top Tasklist on the bottom
- The menu structure is pulled out of the foot menu
- The settings structure has been removed (i assume everything is/will be accessible through CC)
- Pull DOWN Menus seem better (at least for western locals) in terms of readability.
Against
- Inconsistencies in terminology - although they seem to have made an effort to get rid of some of the "G"isms
- Users can only add menu items to the Favorites menu
- Applets treated as first class objects - I think they are child objects of the panel
- By using two panels - the complexity of managing the panels is increased
- Divergence from 'standard' layout
Core GNOME 1.4 Menus
Following is a table showing the core GNOME 1.4 menu structure:
Note: Actually it's based on the Sun Distribution of GNOME 1.4 - I did not have access to a version of core GNOME. I am told that the Sun distribution is pretty close to GNOME core.
Tooltips help in italics and square brackets [tooltip]
Core (Sun) GNOME 1.4 (Panel) | |
Foot Menu [NONE] | See Table Below |
Log out of GNOME | |
Lock screen | |
Integrated help system | |
Terminal Emulation Program | |
The GNOME configuration Tool | |
Netscape browser | (I guess this would be mozilla in other distributions) |
Core (Sun) GNOME 1.4 (foot menu) | |||
Programs | Applications | Nautilus [Nautilus File Manager and Graphical Shell] | |
gedit [Text editor] | I think core GNOME uses gnome-edit | ||
GHex [Gnome Hexadecimal Editor] | |||
Time tracking tool [Time Tracker Tool] | |||
Utilities | Startup Hint [Browse the startup hints] | ||
Bug Report Tool [Report a bug in GNOME] | |||
GDict [GNOME client for the MIT dictionary server] | |||
Simple Calculator [Simple Calculator] | |||
GNOME Character Map [GNOME Character Map] | |||
Color Browser [Browse available X11 colors.] | |||
Font Selector [Select a fint for pasting] | |||
Text File Viewer [Page files as with 'more' and 'less] | |||
GNOME Search Tool [GNOME Search Tool] | |||
Stripchart Plotter [Stripchart Plotter] | |||
Development | (empty) | ||
Games | FreeCell [FreeCell Game] | ||
gataxx [Gnome ataxx game] | |||
Glines [Gnome color lines] | |||
Gnibbles [Gnome Gnibbles Game] | |||
Gnobotsll [Gnome Gnobotsll game] | |||
Gnome-Stones [Gnome Stones game] | |||
Gnometris [Gnome Tetris Game] | |||
Gnome Mines [Gnome Mines game] | |||
Gnotravex [Gnome Tetravex game] | |||
Gnotski [Gnome Klotski] | |||
GTali [Gnome Dice game] | |||
gTuring [Waste time with a simulated Turing machine] | |||
Iagno [Gnome Reversi game] | |||
Mahjongg [Gnome Mahjongg program] | |||
Same Gnome [Gnome SameGame program] | |||
Graphics | Eye of Gnome [Image Viewer] | ||
GNOME Ghostview [A Ghostcript frontend to visualize PostScript files] | |||
Finance | Calculator | ||
Gnucash Finance Manager | |||
Internet | Netscape [Netscape browser] | (I guess this would be mozilla in other distributions) | |
Multimedia | Sound recorder [A simple soundrecording program for GNOME] | ||
CD Player [GNOME CD Player] | |||
ESD Volume Meter [A Volume Unit Meter for ESD] | |||
Settings | GNOME Control Center [NONE] | ||
Desktop | Background [Configuration of the desktop's background] | ||
Screensaver [Configure seetings of rge screensaver] | |||
Theme Selector [Select which desktop theme to use] | |||
Window Manager [Choose a window manager] | |||
Panel [Global panel properties] | |||
Launch Feedback [Settings for Application Launch Feedback] | |||
Multimedia | Sound [Configure GNOME's use of sound] | ||
Peripherals | Keyboard [Keyboard Properties] | ||
Mouse [Mouse Properties] | |||
Session | Startup Hint [Options for the startup hint dialog] | ||
Save Current Session [NONE] | |||
Session Properites & Startup Programs [NONE] | |||
Session Properties [Current session managed programs] | |||
Document Handlers | Default Editor [Choose the editor that is invoked by gnome-edit] | ||
URL Handlers [Configure which programs are used to display URLs] | |||
HTML Viewer [HTML Viewer properties] | |||
User Interface | (empty) | ||
File Types and Programs [Specify whuch programs are used to open or view each file type] | |||
Imlib Configuration Options [Image loading and display options] | |||
Menu Editor [NONE] | |||
Sawfish Window Manager [Control Center Menu] | Meta [Configure window manager configuration properties] | ||
Appearance [Configure window appearance] | |||
Shortcuts [Configure key shortcuts] | |||
Focus behavior [Configure window focusing] | |||
Matched Windows [Configure window properties] | |||
Minimizing and Maximizing [Configure window minimizing and maximizing] | |||
Miscellaneous [Configure miscellaneous window features] | |||
Moving and Resizing [Configure window move/resize] | |||
Placement [Configure window placement] | |||
Sound [Enable window manager sound events] | |||
Workspaces [Configure workspaces] | |||
System [System Menu] | Regular XTerm [Regular XTerm] | ||
GNOME Terminal [Terminal emulation program] | |||
System monitor [GNOME System Monitor] | |||
GNOME DiskFree [Show free disk space on mounted file systems using dials] | |||
Shut Down or Reboot [Turn off or reset the computer] | |||
System Info [Technical information about this computer] | |||
User Listing [View users on the system] | |||
System log monitor [SysLog tool] | |||
Help System | |||
Favorites | (empty) | ||
Applets | Amusements | Fish | |
Fifteen | |||
gEyes | |||
Game of Life | |||
Odometer | |||
Clocks | Clock | ||
Another Clock | |||
AfterStep Clock | |||
Clock and Mailcheck | |||
JBC Binary Clock | |||
Monitors | Battery Charge Monitor | ||
CPULoad | |||
CPU/MEM Usage | |||
Disk Usage | |||
Load Average | |||
Mem Load | |||
NetLoad | |||
SwapLoad | |||
Stripchart | |||
Multimedia | CD Player | ||
Mixer | |||
Sound Monitor | |||
XMMS Applet | |||
Network | Mailcheck | ||
Clock and Mailcheck | |||
GNOME Stock Ticker | |||
Modem Lights | |||
SlashApp | |||
Web Control | |||
Utility | Desk Guide | ||
Printer Applet | |||
Tasklist | |||
Character Picker | |||
GNotes | |||
GNOME Weather | |||
Mini-Commander | |||
QuickLaunch | |||
ScreenShooter | |||
Tick-a-Stat | |||
Where Am I? | |||
GDict | |||
Run... | |||
Panel | Lots of stuff here | I'm not even going to bother | filling the table out on this one |
Lock screen | |||
Log out |
Some Pros and Cons of the Core Menu Structure
For
- Current users are used to the structure.
- One panel
Against
- Inconsistencies in terminology
- Multiple orthogonal classifications of functionality (i.e. programs vrs favorites vrs applets)
- Users can only add menu items to the Favorites menu
- Applets treated as first class objects - I think they should bechild objects of the panel
- Panel editing functionality
- Walkout menu headings duplicated on sub-menus
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