Idea #1586: Multiple Workspace Turned Off By Default

-187

Written by ubunteando the 29 Feb 08 at 17:20. Category: Look and Feel.
Related to: Nothing/Others. Status: New

Description

Well,

When I was new to Ubuntu it irritated me A LOT when I accidentally moved to another workspace and didnt really know where all my windows went...

In my opinion this option is not needed BY MOST PEOPLE AT ALL... So I think it should be turned off by default and allow to turn it on as an option.

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Comments

dougsnell wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 17:45

I wouldn't actually agree with turning it off by default ... but I *would* like to see some better notification of what happened (like a mini note similar to the updates notification).

aaaantoine wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 17:45

If this is a frequent problem, a new user should be notified with a "Do not show this message again" dialog box that they have switched to a new workspace. The notification should then go on to explain how to switch between workspaces.

On machines with Desktop Effects enabled, this shouldn't even be necessary because the workspace transition is visually apparent.

Multiple workspaces should not be turned off by default. Otherwise, how would anyone find out about it to even consider trying it out?

cornbread wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 18:52

this is a feature, use it.

bgfeldm wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 21:18

This is a popular feature which makes Linux a more productive system to work on. If you dislike the feature you are free to turn it off or set it to one workspace.

Estesark wrote on the 1 Mar 08 at 01:35

(Quote from aaaantoine) "If this is a frequent problem, a new user should be notified with a "Do not show this message again" dialog box that they have switched to a new workspace. The notification should then go on to explain how to switch between workspaces."

That seems like the perfect solution to me.

I think this is a worthwhile enough feature, and something relatively unique to GNU/Linux, to keep enabled by default, but if you do accidentally switch desktop spaces and can't work out how to get back, that's a problem. I'm voting it up based on this suggested solution.

maco wrote on the 1 Mar 08 at 11:09

It becomes *extremely* useful when you start using the GIMP. And with the new torrent client in Hardy (Transmission) being multi-window, I expect lots of people to start seeing the usefulness of multiple workspaces if they haven't already.

amaranth (Ubuntu Developer) wrote on the 3 Mar 08 at 13:36

If you're using compiz you get a nice transition to let you know what is going on. Either the default of your windows sliding off to the side or the cube rotating to another face. I think that is plenty of notification of what just happened.

arito wrote on the 3 Mar 08 at 21:42

I used to have this problem too, when I was a noob. I had no idea what was going on and where my windows went. The funny thing is that this happened to me a few times, but I had always forgotten how I got my windows back the last time - probably just by furiously clicking around and hoping for the best :-)

Perhaps turning the workspaces of by default isn't such a bad idea. I assume that workspaces don't get many friends of those who accidentally get their desktop emptied. More likely people try them when they read or hear something positive of them. The workspaces applet might be visible, but you should check off a menu item to make it active.

It's another good idea to notify the user clearly of what happened and how to get back to normal state.

It's a pity that many good ideas get

seshomaru samma wrote on the 16 Mar 08 at 14:19

"a new user should be notified with a "Do not show this message again" dialog box that they have switched to a new workspace. The notification should then go on to explain how to switch between workspaces. "

i support that

joshedmonds wrote on the 30 Apr 08 at 04:33

You don't vote an idea up based on someone else's suggested solution. If the IDEA is good, vote it up, if the comment is good, copy it over into a NEW IDEA, or suggest the author do so.

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