Description: This is just an image I made (in Inkscape using the etiquette icons) of what I would like to see replace the Gnome 'Start Menu' - I think I may have been rather heavily influenced by my brief encounter with another operating system on my dad's PC
There are 3 main sections - one is of special menu apps that are a bit like gdesklets, but that you don't need to be able to see the desktop to get at.
The next section (on the right) has 'quick browser menus' - KDE has these but I can't find a way to get Gnome to do them - in an ideal world you could drag and drop from and onto them, and right clicking would give full contextual menus for files.
The last bit is just for apps that are regularly used - at the moment I keep a 'drawer' on my panel next to the main menu with these apps in it - this removes the need.
Please tell me what you think - and if anyone feels like developing such a thing...
I think That one reason that people don't like Windows is because there isn't that mutch you can change about the UI unlike in Linux where changing the UI is a part of every day life.
I like it it looks cool. I was actually hoping that someone would make a menu like this. one of my favourite parts about it is the system information at the top. I made a menu like this, but not nearly as good earlier today and nobody likes it. I think that there should be an XP like menu for gnome for letting people get used to it.
I actually think this isn't such a bad idea. It's funny that people get pissed and say "Oh that's like microsoft!"
but really having the UI a little bit like microsoft is not that bad of a thing. Obviously they've become popular for some reason.
Now having be proprietary and unchangable OS is another thing.
I agree with Nefarious, default should be basic with GUI controls that meet and exceed anything and everything out there. Only in this way will gnome be accepted by the masses if this is the true goal. As soon as I get more than an hour a day I'll start hassling, but those of you with nothing better to do could start now. Or even code something :) - bloated? or feature rich and bug free....
lol, propose something windows-esque to *nix users and you're sure to get negative feedback... I don't think it's that bad. I like the now playing and the evolution hooks.. something that should be possible with mono. What I would like to see from gnome would be more control over the menu, so one could do something similar if they desired, or use the standard.
I don't quite feel the need to have the Microsoft Windows "START" menu on my Gnome desktop.. I don't even recall anyone using it, ever saying anything fully positive about it, all i've heard is bad. On top of that, why not just run XPDE or whatever it's called, then you'll have pretty much the same as you're proposing for Gnome..
It does look like you're cramming a bit too many objects into that menu, but to each his own.
It's bloated in my point of view, and I think best user experience will be to forget applications. I mean user doesn't need to remember what kind of application he/she should choose for certain work, but simply want to do something, saying, go surfing instead of have to remember to launch firefox.
Eye-candy is always good =) Perhaps it would be a bit clutter, but one could probably configure it to their taste, so what does it matter? Besides, that design is better than the way gnome does it at the moment. I still try to locate that "Run application.." from the Desktop menu and not the applications menu. Oh, and that Places menu is just unusable o_O it's way too weird, like yours better.
I have to also say I'm not a fan either. There's too much clutter and it reminds me of Windows XP, which is frusterating to navigate compared to the old menu style...
I like the look of it. In fact if you have to compare this to XP I would say that this is a heck of a lot better. How ever it does take up the Windows Idea too much. I like gnome because it's simnple and clean. Not cluttered like many other Desktops out there that I won't name *cough* *cough* nvm ...
Anyhow great art work, It's nice. Maybe you can learn how to theme and turn it into a theme :) ... if possible. I'm new to this whole gnome theming business.
Because it's so similar to Windows start menu it shares the same problem: visual clutter/noise. I think it's a confusing interface.
Besides it goes against the desktop's spirit of making things simple and clean.
Personally i don't like it, however you might wan't to check out the aurora desktop, it's aim is for an XP theme based desktop, it'll fit in well there. I might use the aurora desktop to slowly change the machines over and see if ppl notice it's not windows anymore
Ratings & Comments
23 Comments
I think That one reason that people don't like Windows is because there isn't that mutch you can change about the UI unlike in Linux where changing the UI is a part of every day life.
I like it it looks cool. I was actually hoping that someone would make a menu like this. one of my favourite parts about it is the system information at the top. I made a menu like this, but not nearly as good earlier today and nobody likes it. I think that there should be an XP like menu for gnome for letting people get used to it.
I actually think this isn't such a bad idea. It's funny that people get pissed and say "Oh that's like microsoft!" but really having the UI a little bit like microsoft is not that bad of a thing. Obviously they've become popular for some reason. Now having be proprietary and unchangable OS is another thing.
I agree with Nefarious, default should be basic with GUI controls that meet and exceed anything and everything out there. Only in this way will gnome be accepted by the masses if this is the true goal. As soon as I get more than an hour a day I'll start hassling, but those of you with nothing better to do could start now. Or even code something :) - bloated? or feature rich and bug free....
lol, propose something windows-esque to *nix users and you're sure to get negative feedback... I don't think it's that bad. I like the now playing and the evolution hooks.. something that should be possible with mono. What I would like to see from gnome would be more control over the menu, so one could do something similar if they desired, or use the standard.
If I wanted Windows, I'd installed it.
I don't quite feel the need to have the Microsoft Windows "START" menu on my Gnome desktop.. I don't even recall anyone using it, ever saying anything fully positive about it, all i've heard is bad. On top of that, why not just run XPDE or whatever it's called, then you'll have pretty much the same as you're proposing for Gnome.. It does look like you're cramming a bit too many objects into that menu, but to each his own.
Great job :)
sorry but it's just awful :) fortunately i guess a design like that is very unlikely to be implemented
bloated and overloaded. the menubar is much better.
i like it. you should make it for the people that dont dislike something cause it looks like windows.
That's a good, but "all programs" menu is too XP-like. If you change it to "applications" it sounds more like gnome. Just do it more linux-like.
Sorry, but i HATE XP's default menu style! It's looks nice, but it is not usable.
This would be a huge step back in usability and looks, not an enhancement...
It's bloated in my point of view, and I think best user experience will be to forget applications. I mean user doesn't need to remember what kind of application he/she should choose for certain work, but simply want to do something, saying, go surfing instead of have to remember to launch firefox.
Too xp-like and just huge.
That's WinXP with even more crap on it. Personnaly i dont like it.
Eye-candy is always good =) Perhaps it would be a bit clutter, but one could probably configure it to their taste, so what does it matter? Besides, that design is better than the way gnome does it at the moment. I still try to locate that "Run application.." from the Desktop menu and not the applications menu. Oh, and that Places menu is just unusable o_O it's way too weird, like yours better.
I have to also say I'm not a fan either. There's too much clutter and it reminds me of Windows XP, which is frusterating to navigate compared to the old menu style...
I like the look of it. In fact if you have to compare this to XP I would say that this is a heck of a lot better. How ever it does take up the Windows Idea too much. I like gnome because it's simnple and clean. Not cluttered like many other Desktops out there that I won't name *cough* *cough* nvm ... Anyhow great art work, It's nice. Maybe you can learn how to theme and turn it into a theme :) ... if possible. I'm new to this whole gnome theming business.
Because it's so similar to Windows start menu it shares the same problem: visual clutter/noise. I think it's a confusing interface. Besides it goes against the desktop's spirit of making things simple and clean.
Sorry I dont like it. I dont even like the new menu in XP. Better to just keep things SIMPLE.. Cheers, Bandit
Personally i don't like it, however you might wan't to check out the aurora desktop, it's aim is for an XP theme based desktop, it'll fit in well there. I might use the aurora desktop to slowly change the machines over and see if ppl notice it's not windows anymore