Re: [libreoffice-design] Concept - Vertical Toolbar Only - Version 2

On 03/12/2017 01:48 PM, Thibaut B. wrote:
> On Sun, Mar 12, 2017 at 4:50 PM Tim-L--Elmira-NY<webmaster@krackedpress.com>
> wrote:
>
> > I know that I am not on the design teem, but I have to say that vertical
> > toolbars are not my "thing". I have dealt with some packages that use
> > vertical ones and did not like them either.  If we want to make Writer
> > an option instead of MS Word, then people who are use to tool bars on
> > the top and bottom of the active window is what they know how to use.
> > Hopefully, if you would have the option to use either vertical or
> > horizontal ones.
> The default horizontal toolbar is not going anywhere. All other layouts are
> alternatives, which exist or like my mock-up could exist.
>
> I would be interested to know what you dislike about the vertical layout
> (if you can tell, not liking them and not knowing why is okay). The idea
> behind this mock-up is to focus on the sheet – the content – and have the
> control-widgets (toolbars) blend out by using a dark theme. An upside of
> vertical toolbars is that the page can be displayed almost completely.
>
> On non-ubuntu systems there would be a menu-bar above the sheet, which
> should not be forgotten. Designing an office UI is not easy, because the UI
> needs a lot of widgets/buttons to provide even basic functionality. Also
> there are a lot of different user-groups that use an office suite, that
> must be considered, too. Last but not least the UI should be elegant,
> somewhat minimalistic and clean.
>
> Greetings
> Thibaut
Lets look at GIMP. It has a nice set of undocked taskbars/menus.  For 
me, having the reduced space on the right and left side of the document 
can limit the size of the viewable page/image.  If you can minimize the 
taskbars on the sides of the "window" then it would be better.  I do not 
like having to use a left/right slider to view the whole page when I 
zoom into the document or image.  With the sidebar style of window you 
are forced to loose some of that control - if you take my meaning.  To 
be honest, the dark style of the sidebar images shown did not make it 
look good to me.  It seems to clash with the text editing part of the 
UI.  Of course, I do not like dark UIs, so I may be biased.


Now, there are the top/bottom taskbars and menus option.  The more you 
open and dock to the UI the smaller space you have for editing as well.  
I use, with 5.2.5.1, two top taskbars besides the one that states "File  
Edit" etc..  I forgot that there is a navigator sidebar on the right 
side of the window.

Thibaut, I included an image of the top of my Ubuntu 16.04 laptop's 
display - 17 inch display which is set for 1600x900 pixels. So I have 
more "room" on my display that a "normal" laptop, like my previous two 
laptops.

        NOTE - if anyone wants to see the image, I can email it to you.

I find that if I add more taskbar menus, other than "formatting" and 
"standard", it just feels too crowded.  That is my personal opinion.  I 
do like the ability to minimize the sidebars and open only the ones 
wanted.  The would be good to keep, and may be add to the current list 
of sidebars.  Of course, I keep forgetting the top taskbar's ">>" icon 
and the list of options that it displays.

The one big thing I really like on the "marketing" aspect is the fact 
that if someone uses Word, and other packages, you are use to top 
displayed taskbars.  Yes there are customizing options for the UI, but 
how much will the "beginner or normal" user need to start off with.

These are my opinions.  If I am not stating my views coherently is is 
because my communication skills were effected by the 3 strokes that had 
between 1991 and 2003. It slowly getting worse over the years, but I do 
my best to fight it.



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