Ubuntu QA:
BlogBrainstormPackage status
Log in
Ubuntu QA
The Ubuntu community has contributed 21986 ideas, 135057 comments, 2615221 votes
Idea sandbox Idea sandbox
Popular ideas Popular ideas
Ideas in development Ideas in development
Implemented ideas Implemented ideas
Idea #8045: Replace gnome panels with cairo docks

bug This idea is a duplicate of Idea #237: Functional dock.
Written by slavix the 4 May 08 at 09:11. Category: Look and Feel. Related project: Nothing/Others. Status: New
Rationale
Cairo Dock is a much better panel than a standard gnome panel that we get in default Ubuntu. I think it would be step forward for Ubuntu's look and feel, and usability if it came with Cairo Docks at the top and bottom of the screen.
Tags: (none)

-26
votes
closed
Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #8045
Written by slavix the 4 May 08 at 09:11.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #8045 was submitted before this update, its rationale and solution are not separated. Please vote accordingly, and if you have the necessary rights, please separate the rationale from the solution. Thanks!

Propose your solution

Attachments
No attachments.


Duplicates


Comments
Eldmannen wrote on the 4 May 08 at 10:33
You failed to specify the relevant links to Cairo Docks.

Ferdil wrote on the 4 May 08 at 13:29
It requires compositing, and compositing doesn't work well on every system. I would give this idea a +1 if it would be possible.

slavix wrote on the 5 May 08 at 03:24
Here is a link to ubuntu's cairo dock page
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/CairoDock.
I realize compositing does not work on every system. But for those of us that can use it, it should be an easy option to swap standard panels for the cairo docks. don't just dismiss the idea, take a look at the link above.

slavix wrote on the 5 May 08 at 03:48
more screenshots of cairo docks
http://developer.berlios.de/dbimage.php?id=3716
http://developer.berlios.de/dbimage.php?id=3819
http://developer.berlios.de/dbimage.php?id=3683

slavix wrote on the 5 May 08 at 04:07
here is a video of a cairo dock on ubuntu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_F2tAMeTKqI

cyberpython wrote on the 31 Aug 08 at 14:15
I think it is possible to enable compositing for metacity (through gconf-editor : apps -> metacity and check compositing), so it should be doable for any system that rins Ubuntu.

On the other hand, in order to replace the gnome panel, cairo-dock should at least have a mechanism to automatically add/remove/categorize launchers for installed applications, render the system-tray correctly and provide a way to also diplay captions for running applications (e.g. an icon/sub dock for each running app that expands to thumbnails of running instances of the application with captions displayed).

Another concern is the so-called spatial-memory. Docks tend to be center-aligned and grow to both directions which makes it difficult to know where an icon will be the next time the dock appears (add zooming effects etc. and it becomes even harder). So another feature I would like to see would be auto-expanding to take up a whole side of the screen (like a panel). In such a case two dock could be used - one on the top as a launcher and another on the bottom as a taskbar - system tray.


Post your comment