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Idea #20478: I should be able to glance at the panel and see precise stats.

Written by mac9416 the 30 Jun 09 at 23:17. Related project: Gnome. Status: New
Rationale
gnome-system-monitor has a panel applet that displays graphs of things like CPU usage, network usage system load, RAM usage, and more.
However, to see exact measurements (instead of just graphs) you must wave your wand over a graph to display a tooltip (which is not real-time, forcing you to repeatedly move your cursor on and off of the graph) or open gnome-system-monitor (which covers your desktop).
I think there should be a way to see precise numerical stats without losing use of your mouse or opening a window.
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230
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Solution #1: Optionally, put numerical stats on top of the panel graphs.
Written by mac9416 the 30 Jun 09 at 23:17.
Place (semi-transparent?) numerical stats over the corresponding graphs.
For example, if CPU usage is at 40%, "40%" will be pasted over the CPU usage graph on the panel.

I threw together a few concept images:
Hosted by imgur.com

Hosted by imgur.com

Hosted by imgur.com
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Solution #2: Show numbers beside graphs
Written by andruk the 3 Jul 09 at 20:08.
To avoid occluding the numbers or the graphs, show the numbers to the side of the graphs, and color them the same as the graph colors.
59
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Solution #3: Let User decide
Written by fernandoc1 the 13 Jul 09 at 17:58.
There should be four options for the user:
Show the graphs only.
Show the graphs and numbers over the graphs.
Show the graphs and numbers beside the graphs.
Show the numbers only.
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Solution #4: Display info in place of desktop picture.
Written by isaacthulhu the 15 Jul 09 at 13:50.
Why not reclaim all the wasted desktop real-estate which is used to display the useless desktop picture? I have never understood the need for a desktop picture. As an option I can see the end user wanting the feature but as the default condition for the desktop it makes no sense at all, takes up literally the entire screen and it does nothing. Why is there no standard system information display for the desktop when everywhere else in the OS the emphasis is on functionality first?

I think you should be able not only to constantly and without effort discern everything about your CPU usage, but you should also be able to track everything else with nothing more than a glance at your desktop.

maybe something like the ring chart in Baobab would suffice?
if individual aesthetics are an issue make it theme-able.

Propose your solution

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andruk (Idea reviewer) wrote on the 3 Jul 09 at 19:37
In one of the pictures the graph occludes the percentage information anyway, so I would suggest putting the percentage to the side of the graph, and have the colors match the colors of the graph.

mac9416 wrote on the 3 Jul 09 at 20:08
andruk, I'm afraid I don't see where a graph occludes the percentage information. I'm not understanding what you mean.
As far as putting the percentage beside the graph, the idea occurred to me. The only problem is that it takes more room, but it _would_ be easier to read. Would you like to make that an idea so folks can vote on it? Thanks :)

andruk (Idea reviewer) wrote on the 3 Jul 09 at 20:10
occludes = gets in the way

mac9416 wrote on the 3 Jul 09 at 21:26
Shows the state of my vocabulary. :-P
Thanks.

yzarc wrote on the 4 Jul 09 at 13:20
I wish a new concept of applet in the gnome 3. As I suggested in the Idea #18039 Solution #28 .

isaacthulhu wrote on the 15 Jul 09 at 13:13
I proposed something similar in a comment on this idea http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/20642/
Relating to the progress bar.

In terms of intuitive graphic user perception the fact that graphical representations are thought of separately from numerical data presentation seems to get between the integration of the two in design terms. But I agree that this doesn't need to be the case at all.

The two CAN be integrated into a single graphic element which will communicate the finer points of both the intuitive and literal ends of the information to be presented to the user. This is a broad issue pertaining to the entire graphic and iconic paradigm/philosophy, not JUST an issue of this single example.

The real issue is that symbolic graphic elements are mostly semantically 1-dimensional, rather than semantically many dimensional (as they should be) with the number of semantic dimensions being directly dependent upon the number of axis of meaning which need to be communicated to the user by way of the graphical element.





There are many examples:

The progress bar, which steadily grows larger from left to right the space on the right of that might easily accommodate numerical progress, which would grow proportionately smaller. (2 semantic dimensions)

Extra dimensions of symbolism in the display of numerals may easily be communicated with elements of Size(of font), Color, and Opacity or perhaps back-shadow, etc. these are all potentially useful characteristics which might be used to convey extra dimensions of meaning in single icons.
While this notion might sound complex the implementation of a greater degree of attention to many dimensional semantic iconography would lead definitively to a squeaky clean and super intuitive desktop.

Icons would stop building up on the desktop, the ones that did would display relevant info about running applications as graphic elements, the need for mountains of notification applets would be reduced to by a massive margin and the ones that remained would communicate many dimensions of meaning simultaneously leaving it to the user to simply pay attention to the element he or she wished to refer to for whatever information is needed at that moment.


it's a huge issue.





mac9416 wrote on the 15 Jul 09 at 17:51
Well, isaacthulhu, most of what you have said about "many dimensional semantic iconography" goes straight over my head, but I do thank you for proposing a solution to the humble problem I have brought up for debate.

About your solution, I agree that the desktop is a very handy place to put a large amount of info. However, in a window-based interface, your desktop will be "occluded" ;-) most of the time and your stats will be hidden. For example, you're running an animation in Blender and want to see just how much stress it's putting on your CPU. You don't want to have to minimize Blender to see the usage % on the desktop. For this kind of situation, the panel is far more convenient.

So, in order to see precise stats at a glance, the panel seems to be the best place. (Although, if you're monitoring stats and have no need for a window to be up, the desktop is great)

isaacthulhu, you seem to have some very intricate ideas that probably should be considered, so I hope you will put the in a "problem" so they can be considered separately and in their entirety.

Once again, thanks for taking the time to post your solution, though I think that short-term improving the panel interface is the way to go.

chauncellor wrote on the 17 Jul 09 at 18:44
As long as there's an option to keep the old way, I'd be happy to have that implemented.

JamesGoode wrote on the 18 Jul 09 at 09:08
Re: Solution #4: Display info in place of desktop picture.

Damn Small Linux has something that does this (though I think it's part of Fluxbox). There's a vertical, transparent panel on the right-hand side of the screen, which displays lots of data, and is covered by all windows.


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