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Idea #30402: Lenses configuration in Dash

Written by vgregorio the 4 Dec 12 at 23:02. Related project: Unity. Status: New
Rationale
Lenses are an interesting and innovative way to customize your desktop. But it would be better if we could configure its behavior and enable / disable lenses in a single configuration screen.
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21
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Solution #1: A configuration button in the dash bottom
Written by vgregorio the 4 Dec 12 at 23:02.
Since the lenses are connected to the dash, it would be interesting to access this settings screen along with the access to the lens.

This screen should have the option of adding lenses (a brief description of what the lens does, along with image), enable / disable a lens already installed, configure the behavior of the lens.

The option of adding lenses could be connected to a repository of lenses fed by the community. There are a series of lenses designed by users who would benefit from official exposure on a system screen like this. Just add the PPA and perform the installation of the lens!
5
votes
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Solution #2: Remember and repeat the configuration as last used
Written by GizmoChicken the 1 Jan 13 at 08:38.
Depending on what is meant by "configure" as used in the original rationale post, one could argue that a lens must be "configured" (or reconfigured) each time that it is used. For example, on each use, one may "configure" the "Search Applications" lens such that "See ## more results" is selected and/or the "filter" panel is exposed.

So as to reduce the need for reconfiguring a lens to a preferred configuration upon each use, I suggest that, at the very least, dash should remember the configuration of the lens as last used and then present that last used configuration upon next use (so that a user wouldn't have to reconfigure the lens each time it is used).

Propose your solution

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cheesehead (Brainstorm admin) wrote on the 5 Dec 12 at 13:26
The Rationale should describe how the current robust systems for managing (discovering and enabling/disabling) lenses is inadequate.

And a bit more detail on what is meant by "configuration" - most lenses are so simple that I don't see what would be configured.

The use case for such a lens-manager should also seems unclear. What kind of user will regularly add/remove lenses instead of simply selecting the lens when (occasionally) needed?

Solution #1: Adding PPAs is not a realistic solution. PPAs are unsupported and untrusted. Ubuntu developers will not push unsupported solutions to unskilled users.

vgregorio wrote on the 5 Dec 12 at 18:17
In my opinion, the lens should have settings preferences.

Lenses like Shopping Lens, should have settings of being disabled (not the option of disabling the online results, which interferes with the results of other lenses - wich I really care).

I mean, I live in Brazil, we do not have here a local Amazon (yet), do not buy to ship from US .... so, I want the search results on Amazon? It would be much more interesting to Americanas.com.br, Submarino.com.br (or I should have the chance to configure something like this in other lenses too. Maybe in the future, I understand) ...

What I'm proposing is something prepared for this kind of customization. That is, I understand that there is a curve evolution to it, but you can leave the ground ready.

With respect to enable / disable lenses, I know and brought several users to Ubuntu. Unfortunately, they do not want or do not care about command lines to add a PPA and put new features in Dash, dislike of standardized results back (like Application Suggestions...) and many of them changed to KDE because they can make customizations in the desktop so much easy.

All about a simple problem of not being able to modify the behavior of the Dash and other facets of Unity. I think it's a viable idea when we think that way.

It's just a place to manage the lenses installed in the system and enable/disable them in the dash (some of them may not be disable, like Applications Lens).

vgregorio wrote on the 5 Dec 12 at 21:23
I mean, there's no way to find and install new lenses available already in the system.

Normally, the user does this by searching the Internet or reading an article about it and then, if you have the necessary skills, add the repository in the terminal, install the correct package ... to disable the lens? Same knowledge needed. For users experienced with Linux and .deb package management, that's easy. For those who just want to install the system and test the features, no.

And the lenses are an incredible functionality and should be further explored, because it creates great possibilities to use the Dash.

cheesehead (Brainstorm admin) wrote on the 8 Dec 12 at 19:24
To 'disable' the shopping lens, uninstall it in Software Center.
If a lens is already installed, then the icon will show.
If the lens is not installed, then it's findable in the Software Center. Search for the term 'lens'.

Again, if you direct new/unskilled users to PPAs, you do them a disservice - that software is not supported, and risks breaking their system.

You still have not explained how your concept of 'finding/enabling/disabling' lenses is different from the existing method of using the Software Center to find/install/uninstall.

You still have not explained what should be configurable.

Darwin Survivor (Brainstorm moderator) wrote on the 13 Dec 12 at 23:57
@cheesehead enablind/disabling lenses using the software center (especially controversial ones like Amazon), does not allow a lense to be enabled in one account and disabled in another.

cheesehead (Brainstorm admin) wrote on the 14 Dec 12 at 04:06
Sure, that seems fair enough.
Approving for 30 days to gauge community interest.

GizmoChicken wrote on the 1 Jan 13 at 05:56
I'm not quite sure what the original poster has in mind when suggesting a way to "configure" lens, but here's simple "configuration" tweak that I'd like to see:

My preferred lens is the "search applications" lens, with the "See ## more results" selected, and the "filter" panel exposed. Problem is, each time that I open the dash, I have to re-click a bunch of buttons to get to the "search applications" lens opened and configured as described. So for me, I would be satisfied if I could "configure" dash so that my preferred lens setting would be presented by default. Or at the very least, dash should remember the configuration of the lens as last used and then present that last used configuration upon next use (so that I wouldn't have to repeat so many steps).

vgregorio wrote on the 3 Jan 13 at 13:57
Yeah, now I see what you mean guys. Each lens has it's own configurations and settings.

For example: The Application Lens have Used Recently, Installed, Available Apps and filters.. but other lens will have other options. This sure will be a pain to figure out how to implement.

But, the idea of a panel where the user can install/remove the lens with some description about it's features seems to me a nice approach!

Because search for it in Software Center isn't easy at this time and for new users... they didn't realize that's possible to change the lenses at all! And there's only a few lens available USC -_-'

About the PPA's repository, now I agree (in a half) with @cheesehead. Throwing insecure/untested PPA's and lenses in users desktop sure will be a huge problem!

But, maybe...read right...maybe, a repository of customization itens for Unity isn't a bad idea. And this itens could be moderated, ruled and approved by testers and admins.

Today, the blogs and sites about Ubuntu is crowded of step-by-step instructions of how to change your Unity desktop and, again, for new users, some of this steps will be hard to perform. It will be nice if some configuration spots on the system help the users to do it. Or maybe just in one spot. Again, this have been implemented in KDE (themes, wallpapers, etc), Gnome 3 (gnome-extensions portal) ...

One OS, a lot of different needs! Not just child tweaking...most lenses have features that help different type of professionals.

I know this is far beyond the original idea and need a lot of work to implement - I'm a web and desktop developer. I understand if the only change will be the on/off lenses panel. But I think still a good idea to think about.

Thanks


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