:: Re: [Dng] three important UI featur…
Top Page
Delete this message
Reply to this message
Author: Jonathan Wilkes
Date:  
To: markm, dng@lists.dyne.org
Subject: Re: [Dng] three important UI features
On 02/22/2015 05:45 PM, Mark Maxwell wrote:
> On 22/02/15 20:11, Jonathan Wilkes wrote:
>> Hello,
>> A few questions about the GUI for Devuan...
>>
>> 1) In the default desktop environment for Devuan, will there be an
>> icon or other discoverable item the user can click to see a list of
>> available wifi network connections?
>> 2) When the DE's main menu pops up, will the user be able to
>> _immediately_ start typing characters and see a list of applications
>> filtered to match what is being typed?
>> 3) In the default desktop environment for Devuan, when the user
>> clicks the "Super" key (often has the Windows icon on it) will the
>> DEs main menu pop up?
>>
>> I put these three features in order of importance for newcomers and
>> non-technical users to have control over their machines. #1 is vital
>> because it makes the entire knowledge-base on the web (potentially)
>> available for users so they can troubleshoot problems outside of
>> network connectivity, even if they haven't a clue what an ESSID is.
>> #2 is important because responsive natural language searches are
>> ubiquitous, simple to understand, explain, and remember, especially
>> when compared with branches of app categories (which are often quite
>> arbitrary). #3 is certainly not vital at all, but its existence is a
>> good indicator that the developers take usability seriously.
>>
>> You may be able to guess that I currently use Gnome 3 under Debian,
>> because Gnome 3 includes all three features that I list. But please
>> don't be mistaken-- I'm not looking to pitch Devuan on Gnome 3.
>> Rather, I have neglected to uninstall Gnome 3 because as long as it
>> does those three things it fulfills my needs as a user. I'd much
>> prefer to use a distro like Devuan, where its community is reflecting
>> upon the long-term maintainability of the system (and closely
>> inspecting its source code). As long as it has a default DE with the
>> three features above, I can switch over with virtually no pain. But
>> more importantly, with those three features an entire class of
>> non-technical users can have a safe, sane, and secure place from
>> which to launch Chromium. I'd bet a large chunk of Lenovo's userbase
>> has a desire for just such a system atm. :)
>>
>> Anyhow, if any of those three are missing under the planned system,
>> I'd be happy to help try to rectify the situation.
>>
>> Best,
>> Jonathan
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Dng mailing list
>> Dng@???
>> https://mailinglists.dyne.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/dng
>
> For #3 I find that its the only key not mapped on the entire keyboard,
> so its
> 'Mine'. I map it as my control key for personal keymapings. To map it to a
> single function of bringing up a menu which is already available with
> a right
> click anywhere on the background of from the bar seems like a great
> loss in
> functionality. Its the only good thing about the windows key.


Hi Mark,
In your case you'd have the added burden of re-mapping the menu shortcut
from "Super" to empty string. I don't understand how that would end up
in a "great loss in functionality".

-Jonathan