FC5: first impressions

[Bill Crawford]

On Friday 24 March 2006 22:45, Dimi Paun wrote:

> What means "disabled by default"? I hope we get the old behaviour
> by default :)

 I'd like to see "open underneath" disappear, but I really do not want the old 
behaviour back in full - "focus stealing" is really, really necessary. 
However much people say they don't need / want it, you don't want to end up 
typing your root password into e.g. an IM window that suddenly pops up in 
front of you.

 Likewise if I open something from a command line, I often do want in fact to 
run some other command there afterwards (even if it's just because I want to 
open several gui apps). Having to focus the app you're going to use isn't 
that much of a problem if it's opened on top; it's the opened-underneath 
that's making it difficult to focus it (I have to go to the taskbar at the 
bottom of the screen, for example). I'd rather see it open on top, but NOT 
take focus by default.

> <offtopic flamewar="false" excuse="friday">
> Anyway, I think these are the kind of changes that irk people a
> lot as far as GNOME approach to usability goes: experimental
> behavior that is highly subjective, which is being forced onto
> the masses with no way of opting out.

 True enough, but the focus stealing prevention is something that's been 
needed for a long time. The problem is the wrong solution, not that it's 
experimental or whatever. If they'd got it completely right, you wouldn't be 
saying "this is great, but how dare you foist it on me" would you? ;)

 That said, the GNOME attitude does suck. :D