AnimeSuki Forums

grey_moon · 2010-04-12, 12:17

I've been holding back on discussing the whole Ubuntu 10.04 moving the window control buttons to the left until the OS actually came out.

If you haven't been keeping up with the Ubuntu news a lot of vocal people have been kicking up a stink about it.

Something happened today which made me think it is actually a really good move in terms of good GUI design. Web page designers are taught for left to right languages that the most noticeable area of the page is top left. So it makes sense to me to have the buttons there.

Today I was helping a friend with a laptop infected with a virus and it was taking an age to scan. They wanted to go online and I let them use my test box which currently had 10.04 beta on it. I had other applications opened as I was trying everything out. The strange thing is I noticed that they minimised them without any issues.

So I ask have they used a Mac before which they answered no.

Then I asked about the windows buttons being on the left and they didn't actually realise....

The person is pretty much IT illiterate I had to spend ages going over copy n paste just a few weeks ago with them.

This might just be a 1 in a million case, but I think that some things are kinda instinctive.

So what are your thoughts? Do you think that Ubuntu moving the windows control buttons to the left is a bad idea?

Miles Teg · 2010-04-12, 12:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by grey_moon

So what are your thoughts? Do you think that Ubuntu moving the windows control buttons to the left is a bad idea?

One of the first thing I have done after installing Ubuntu 10.04 was to change the theme for one with the button at the right place

So if they don't remove/change all the theme then I don't care

felix · 2010-04-12, 12:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by grey_moon

So what are your thoughts? Do you think that Ubuntu moving the windows control buttons to the left is a bad idea?

Even if it was "harder" I wouldn't complain about it to a friend who came to help me out. Your argument is invalid. Anyway, personally I like custom user interfaces, when they try to fix old nonsense or just "do it better".

chikorita157 · 2010-04-12, 14:39

I have updated to 10.04 on my second partition on one of my Macbook Pros and I haven't noticed any change, mainly because I was using KUbuntu which still have the windows buttons on the right. I don't really see any difference except the buttons are in reverse on the top-left side of the window. Note that this setting can be changed back by tweaking the Metacity settings in gconf-editor and editing the button layout in General under metacity.

One thing I did notice is that the boot time is alot quicker than it is in 9.10 and the boot screen change. it took significantly less time to boot and get to the KDE login screen. Noticed some new eyecandy since KUbunutu 10.04 uses KDE 4.4... but yea, it is pretty decent.

grey_moon · 2010-04-12, 14:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by felix

Even if it was "harder" I wouldn't complain about it to a friend who came to help me out. Your argument is invalid. Anyway, personally I like custom user interfaces, when they try to fix old nonsense or just "do it better".

I'm not actually arguing for the change apart from in the sense that it does seem to make good GUI design without taking into consideration of past expectations.

When I was asking her about the windows button I did it in a friendly way and didn't call out the Spanish inquisition. She genuinely said she didn't notice that they were in a different place.

She is a musician so I guess she might have subconsciously noticed that the buttons were on the left and just used them.

In regards to customised interfaces, that is the beauty of an open system, we can easily edit it to how we like.

I've got at least 8 users that I am still in contact with that I converted over to Ubuntu, and they have been fine with it apart from the Chrome install the kitchen sink debarcle. 2 of them I think I will have to assign time to help them with the install, but the rest I'm pretty sure can cut the mustard on their own.

I won't mention the GUI change to them and I'll see how well they cope and if they hate it or not.

synaesthetic · 2010-04-12, 16:29

After having used Windows for so long I automatically look for the window buttons on the right, so I probably would have to get used to them being moved elsewhere.

Claies · 2010-04-12, 18:15

The reason why I dislike window buttons on the left is the menu bar (File, Edit, View, Help, etc.), which also begins on the left side. It's easier to make mistakes with this many clickables in the same place. This is alleviated on Macs because the menu bar is placed on the very top for every application (not a style that I like, but a very clever one nonetheless), but this is not true in Ubuntu, so I didn't know what they're getting at until OP's anecdote.

felix · 2010-04-12, 20:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by grey_moon

I'm not actually arguing for the change apart from in the sense that it does seem to make good GUI design without taking into consideration of past expectations.

To the best of my knoledge every single open source project treats the X.Y.Z version system like this:

Z we have a tiny fix
Y we got better (additional) stuff
X we threw everything including the kitchen sink out the window, enjoy

So really, this is all insignificant in my mind. But I guess the Ubuntu project might have different politics as far as user tangible content is concern. However even given that, I find it almost unthinkable they have it to the point of going into backward/forward binary compatibility policies. Oh wait! forgot about the marketing trend of stroking the version-peen ...ah well.

grey_moon · 2010-04-13, 03:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Claies

The reason why I dislike window buttons on the left is the menu bar (File, Edit, View, Help, etc.), which also begins on the left side. It's easier to make mistakes with this many clickables in the same place. This is alleviated on Macs because the menu bar is placed on the very top for every application (not a style that I like, but a very clever one nonetheless), but this is not true in Ubuntu, so I didn't know what they're getting at until OP's anecdote.

That is a good point. I never thought about over crowding!

naoan · 2010-04-23, 02:56

So how long does your IT illiterate friends been using windows (or any other OS with right-top button)? maybe it's just a case where she doesn't even that used to right-top button!

As for me, i bet i would still unconsciously moved the mouse to the usual location to close/minimize.

chikorita157 · 2010-04-23, 12:00

It would make alot more sense to have the buttons on the left if the toolbar is normally on the top. Actually, I preferred having the menu on the top since you wouldn't use the menus in the window if it wasn't active... Again, it is preferences again... It would of work better if the application's menu was on the top and not in the window so they won't have the crowding effect.

Also, I normally preferred KDE over Gnome on Linux because of the built in apps, ease of use and nice eye candy and they still have the window buttons on the right..

2010-04-12, 12:17	Link #1
grey_moon Yummy, sweet and unyuu!!! Join Date: Dec 2004	Ubuntu 10.04 Windows Button Change I've been holding back on discussing the whole Ubuntu 10.04 moving the window control buttons to the left until the OS actually came out. If you haven't been keeping up with the Ubuntu news a lot of vocal people have been kicking up a stink about it. Something happened today which made me think it is actually a really good move in terms of good GUI design. Web page designers are taught for left to right languages that the most noticeable area of the page is top left. So it makes sense to me to have the buttons there. Today I was helping a friend with a laptop infected with a virus and it was taking an age to scan. They wanted to go online and I let them use my test box which currently had 10.04 beta on it. I had other applications opened as I was trying everything out. The strange thing is I noticed that they minimised them without any issues. So I ask have they used a Mac before which they answered no. Then I asked about the windows buttons being on the left and they didn't actually realise.... The person is pretty much IT illiterate I had to spend ages going over copy n paste just a few weeks ago with them. This might just be a 1 in a million case, but I think that some things are kinda instinctive. So what are your thoughts? Do you think that Ubuntu moving the windows control buttons to the left is a bad idea? __________________

2010-04-12, 14:39	Link #4
chikorita157 ひきこもりアイドル IT Support Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Pennsylvania , United States Age: 34	I have updated to 10.04 on my second partition on one of my Macbook Pros and I haven't noticed any change, mainly because I was using KUbuntu which still have the windows buttons on the right. I don't really see any difference except the buttons are in reverse on the top-left side of the window. Note that this setting can be changed back by tweaking the Metacity settings in gconf-editor and editing the button layout in General under metacity. One thing I did notice is that the boot time is alot quicker than it is in 9.10 and the boot screen change. it took significantly less time to boot and get to the KDE login screen. Noticed some new eyecandy since KUbunutu 10.04 uses KDE 4.4... but yea, it is pretty decent. __________________ Chikorita157's Anime Blog \| Atelier Shiori (Personal Sideblog) \| Tumblr \| Twitter

2010-04-12, 16:29	Link #6
synaesthetic blinded by blood Author Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Oakland, CA Age: 40	After having used Windows for so long I automatically look for the window buttons on the right, so I probably would have to get used to them being moved elsewhere. __________________ Indie science fiction author and all-around weirdo: Check out my original fiction here! Read an excerpt from my sci-fi novel Binary System!

2010-04-12, 18:15	Link #7
Claies Good-Natured Asshole. Join Date: May 2007 Age: 35	The reason why I dislike window buttons on the left is the menu bar (File, Edit, View, Help, etc.), which also begins on the left side. It's easier to make mistakes with this many clickables in the same place. This is alleviated on Macs because the menu bar is placed on the very top for every application (not a style that I like, but a very clever one nonetheless), but this is not true in Ubuntu, so I didn't know what they're getting at until OP's anecdote. Last edited by Claies; 2010-04-12 at 18:27.

2010-04-23, 12:00	Link #11
chikorita157 ひきこもりアイドル IT Support Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Pennsylvania , United States Age: 34	It would make alot more sense to have the buttons on the left if the toolbar is normally on the top. Actually, I preferred having the menu on the top since you wouldn't use the menus in the window if it wasn't active... Again, it is preferences again... It would of work better if the application's menu was on the top and not in the window so they won't have the crowding effect. Also, I normally preferred KDE over Gnome on Linux because of the built in apps, ease of use and nice eye candy and they still have the window buttons on the right.. __________________ Chikorita157's Anime Blog \| Atelier Shiori (Personal Sideblog) \| Tumblr \| Twitter

2010-04-23, 02:56	Link #10
naoan Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2009	So how long does your IT illiterate friends been using windows (or any other OS with right-top button)? maybe it's just a case where she doesn't even that used to right-top button! As for me, i bet i would still unconsciously moved the mouse to the usual location to close/minimize.