Written by readmanr the 6 Mar 10 at 21:00.
Related project: Gnome.
Status: Won't implement
Rationale
In Ubuntu Lucid 10.04 Alpha3 we have a new default theme, however the Minimise, Maximise and Close buttons have been moved from the top right, to the top left.
(see the image at the bottom)
This was a poor choice for the following reasons...
- If clicking at the top menu (File , View, Help etc) the close buttons are VERY Close, accidents can happen.
- There used to be a tiny dot in the top left, which had in its menu, Min, Max, Move, Always on Top, and Close (So why move the Min, Max, Close buttons to the left?
- Migrating Windows and Mac users will be used to having them at the right, which is a huge usability jump)
Changes like this should be an optional choice, while it is possible to manually edit the theme, it should not be the default for an LTS release.
Exactly. Whoever had that dumb idea? Only members of the Mac cult argue that having those buttons on the left and they fail to do so convincingly.
In fact, the first bullet in the rationale makes a very good point: While on MacOS there is nothing either on the left or the right next to those buttons, on Ubuntu we typically have the window's menu on the left hand side. Separating the two blocks seems wise to me.
Besides, usability is 90% habit, but don't get me started on this.
Actually, OSX people wouldn't bother arguing about where the buttons should be.
But its quite clear it wasn't thought through. Moving the close button closer to the middle of the application is a bad idea, because it means its more likely you pass it for minimisation/maximisation too. From my unprocessional/incompetent GUI design perspective, its just bad. Maybe not as bad if the button order is switched, but moving the buttons for the sake of doing so is just stupid.
Linux needs to stop trying to be different for the sake of being so. There are some good reasons why neither OSX or Windows use this order!!
I actually read a good explanation for this change - something about how most of what you do is on the left side of the screen anyway. This being said, I still don't like the change at all. I usually try to keep an open mind regarding different interfaces, but it's just so traditional having them on the right. Besides, its impossible to use with Gnome-Shell because there's a hotcorner on the top left.
Well, there are people who have hot corners in the right side of the screen too (I have enabled them in each corner using Compiz), so it's just something that you usually need to get accustomed to.
As a bit unrelated solution proposal: would it be possible to have both? I mean: make the minimize-maximize-close icons be invisible in normal use, only to become visible when mouse is hovered on top of the title bar. Then the buttons could appear in which ever corner is closer to the mouse. This would seem more elegant and fresh solution, if there is need to do something different, instead of just swapping the side altogether.
But I guess this goes beyond simple positioning... more a theme/effect than part of solid windowing system. It would be pretty cool effect though.
If we really want buttons in a different arrangement that Windows I think copying AmigaOS would be a better option: Separate destructive buttons (close) from non-destructive ones (menu, minimise, maximise), so "close:menu,minimise,maximise" or "maximise,minimise:close" (to write in a gconf key fashion) would be my suggestion.
I think its a nice change. although I am wondering where the dot went. right click works, but visually I think the left side looks a bit heavy now with the window title there as well. maybe the title should be put on the right for balance.
Biggest reason I don't use any Mac look-alike themes is because I can't stand having the buttons on the left. Upon installation, it will be the first thing I will look to change if not moved back before the final release.
Look at it like this; your end call button on your cell phone is on the right -close button-, to start a call you push the button on the left -the start menu-. Almost all the world writes from left to right, so this is the natural order. I don't understand why it is on the left, it really should be placed on the right -right- side.
What a horribly thought out idea this was. Completely spontaneous, with no actual backup bogus. The mailing list has failed to come up with an adequate response to this nonsense.
Ay, yi, yi, will you people stop doing stupid things like this and work on more important items? Is Notify-OSD in the way of the close buttons? Then why don't you actually allow us to position it so that we fix 80 percent of what people don't like about the notification system?
At Solution9, and Solution3, if the close button is in the left hand corner, if you slip slightly when trying to click on the Applications menu, or the File Menu you can easily close the application you are in, which is why having the min max close buttons on the Left is just idiotic.
This is Linux, we don't want mac. Don't copy mac features for no reason, show some self respect.
If it were useful I'd say go ahead, but this is useless copying.
If all we wanted were macs, why bother? Whoever came up with this idea: quit and go get yourself a mac.
Just because Apple does something doesn't mean everyone else is copying.. However, I am interested to hear WHY this is being done, if there is a good reason. McIvor's explanation was missing a few pieces :(
The fact is it is more convenient because the buttons st6art from that side. However im use to using the buttons on the right.
Pros:
Way more accessible on the left side
Quicker
Buttons start from left also, therefore making it easier/quicker for the user to move through the desktop
Con:
Users from windows to ubuntu may find it almost taboo...why simple they have always had their on the right
solution:
Make it a preference, by default use the left and have right as an option.
This would be the smart thing to do, this way it satisfies both parties and makes everybody happy.
Please no one bring up some garbage along the lines of ....this is not osx.... stop and think why it is on the left side (more convenient obviously).
I say we go modern leave it on the left as default and give the user an option to switch them around and even organize them.
I like that the Ubuntu team is trying new things, but this is a bad move for a default change. Those of us who have been using Ubuntu / Linux for years are used to the wm buttons on the right, not the left.
If the user wishes to place these buttons on the left, give him that option - but don't make it the default.
And, as someone else said, the buttons on the left are far too close to the File | Edit | (etc) menus and could be accidentally clicked.
Please keep the discussion here or in the forums & not on the bug reports. In saying that however, if you dislike the change - please mark the bug (or the master bug report - https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/light-themes/+bug/532633 ) as affecting you too.
Thanks in advance!
Yeah I agree with those who are for user preference.But the default should be on the left-side, so this is a welcome change in my opinion.
The only downside to this I think is that it will be adjacent to the menu bar and thus the odds of mis-clicks could increase.
One solution would be to move the menu bar to the center, but then some users might begin to complain this is a bit odd.
I find this approach good for myself, so maybe this should also be customisable?
Users are used to having the buttons on the right. Every other distro has them on the right. The standard is on the right. Therefore the default should be on the right.
First time I've posted on brainstorm, just chiming in to add to the general melee:
I prefer top right.
I want my close/minimize/maximize separated from my (already) cluttered top left corner panel.
While screen real-estate can be a concern, and 'speed' (top-left clustered menu easier to access) is somewhat valid, I want the MOST destructive action (closing, without an undo option, possibly losing work in some programs if save prompting is not implemented) as far as possible from a mis-click.
I can minimize, close, and etc by right-click on the icon in the tray as well, but leave it at the top right. Please revert change!
while looking for a newbie-solution to let my syncmaster 913n monitor in 9.10 show its native resolution instead of this win98 visually-impaired-ready look without any wallpaper i got back on opera and what i like about it: smart ideas, useful and pragmatic design + accessibility. resource and user friendly. that's why i changed from win to ubuntu.
if you have programming time and heart to spend on this idea, why not create a system wide panel (on the right), which is, as known in psychology, the standard western visual direction you take new ideas from, and place overall buttons to manage active applications.
- btw: is there any Japanese or Arabian opinion on this left-to-right-topic?
fd1k5, considering how late we are in the development cycle, that's not likely to be something to be included in 10.04. Furthermore, it's not really relevant to this brainstorm idea.
*TrueSongMedia, thank you for the hint. i did not mean to offend you/the developing process. that night i was annoyed by the looks of my screen, neither finding an easy solution online nor keeping in mind whats going on in the background to make ubuntu/an OS/things work. now i re-appreciate the meaning of usability and joy in little things on every day life with f.e. a pc.*
Furthermore, it's not really relevant to this brainstorm idea.
assuming you refer to idea 1 (left or right side): you are right. solution#1 made it as seen.
having read the thread as a win-user i'd choose it, too: make the usual style (right side) default for convenience, established programming and new users; add the lift-side style as an option for people wanting to try out the other way around and use resources e.g. for touch screen/virtual keyboard solutions, which are more human-related. (again, the question of keeping habits or developing..) this idea might be relevant for further development considering the claim to be new + useful, if necessary or still wanted.
# for my ego: i use use dvorak-keyboard-layout and left-or-right-hand--depending-on-circumstances--use of the pc mouse and never thought about where to put buttons before i read this thread. thanks again for the insights, and i am not ironical.
I suggest starting your own idea.
where do i put other funny ideas like 'please put DEL and RENAME option in the context menu far from each other'? or 'what the f#?.' does this log-text mean? opening up a new thread? yes?
i am a typical lala-win-user lacking the 'first-try-out-yourself-than-ask-others-implement-and-share' style, since the idea of bringing in myself is quite new and therefore have to ask. but i would be happy to provide with noob suggestions.
Yes it takes a bit of getting used to but after a few days I am getting the hang of it.
I like the new look (using Ambiance) and I even like the purple (shock...horror)
Ubuntu needs to have its own identity, not windows and not mac. Mac has always had a better design sense (IMHO) so I think that is why many designers follow that.
I think that a LTS is the right time for the change as that is going to be with us for 2 years+
XrayA4T, but if the majority of users dislike the change, it is foolish to leave it as the default.
Yes there are users who like the buttons on the left. For those users, there should be an option. But the default needs to be the right side with 9.x button order.
IMO, each theme should have its own button and title position (solution #8), as it has its own decoration style, colors, controls, mouse, icons... but it should be possible to customize it, as it is with the other elements (you can get the decoration of one theme and the icons of another in a custom theme, for example, so let's do the same with button position)
Now I understand that most market driven interactive products go through a series of checks and balances before "perfection" is reached. And no one designer can be blamed or have absolute control. BUT WTF. Common Sense tells us not to stare at the sun, AND NOT TO PUT THE EXIT BUTTON NEXT TO THE EDIT MENU.
Ubuntu team, you know me , I love you guys. Just don't mess with my default interface and color contrast, that's all.
They are moving them to get users used to them on the left for the next release because they want to put something on the right (what I read didn't say what)... I forget where I read that - sorry I can't link!
My vote would be if the release keeps the buttons on the left, at least fix the order. It should be the same as the right but flipped (aka - minimize,maximize,close rather than max,min,close).
But at least its Ubuntu and I can change it myself :)
I guess this post is more about for people new/switching since most of us know how to change it to whatever we like.
i agree... why not put the "new feature" on the left? leaving the right blank and unused looks bad... and it is a LTS release! i think the the radical changes should be left for non-lts releases... so they have time to be improved and accepted.
I was going to install Lucid Beta 1 on my friends PC then I remembered they had moved the the buttons to the left and I know they will complain and resist the change and I just can't be bothered to deal with that.
It is rare that I will say a change is stupid. I may not agree with a change but as long as I can understand why it happened I can deal with it.
Not in this case.
This is stupid.
I'm getting sick and tired of FOSS developers treating the users as scum to be ignored. First it was Firefox several times over with changes to Tab behavior and the address bar behavior with absolutely no way to reverse it. Then it was Chrome with overloading the tab close behavior with no chance to make it sane. Now it's Ubuntu, the Linux for desktop users, making a change which is only reversible by command line. Hello, COMMAND LINE!?
That is what makes it stupid.
NO, telling your users that "You'll get used to it" is NOT acceptable.
NO, putting forth a desktop user friendly distro with a massive change to usability configurable only via command line is NOT acceptable.
One remark:
This is just 3 little buttons standing on a row
:-)
And a fact: Ubuntu is just another Operating System.
Which implies: it does not have to look like MacOS, nor does it have to look like Windows.
An idea: let's find Ubuntu's own way about design, and this can be different than other contenders.
Side note: As a heavy trackpad/trackpoint user, I find it less cumbersome to have the close button (at least) on the left, it happen to be more often near my mouse than when it is on the right. The reason is probably that my mother tongue and the English language are left-to-right oriented.
Another idea: If that last statement is true, then it would probably better to have somewhere in Appearance the opportunity to change the buttons position, so that right-to-left oriented language such as arabic can have also the choice.
It is necessary to place the buttons in both the corners and make the auto hide buttons, those who are used to close the window on the left side will automatically look for them there, those who are on the right - on the right, you need to satisfy two desires.
Yes, of course, Solutions 24 and 25 were my jokes.
But to raise the feeling of a very serious topic.
I feel like filing this bug:
Windows closing buttons on the left detrimental to Ubuntu
Ubuntu 10.04 beta puts closing buttons to the left.
I keep reaching to the right and I just can't get accustomed.
It's inconsistent with ALL other closing buttons, including Ubuntu's itself.
People alternating Windows and Ubuntu would get mad.
They would have to quit one. Guess which.
Or to choose another system making every effort to look like Windows the most.
Like Mint, maybe.
Yes, if Ubuntu gets unwise they may be considering Mint.
Remember some people have basic skills and are very sensitive to such facts.
Regarding solution 13, I wonder why people vote against feature requests others do appreciate if the only impact on their live is not to use the feature they don't like.
Personally, I appreciate being able to occasionally double click the Window bar icon when that's faster to close the window tat way but I'll never disparage "Always on Top" because I don't use it.
I'd feel great that Windows' immigrants would keep their habits.
One of the problems open source operating systems can face when standing up against OSX and Windows is the included applications are designed by different people with different goals and can fragment the interface, different applications put things in different places whilst Apple and Microsoft have more control to make things more uniform.
It isn't an overwhelming issue but this decision seems to make the matter worse by putting the close button on the opposite side to pretty much all other applications for example closing a tab on Firefox and I really hope they revert back to the right as it's backwards thinking.
KIAaze(Idea reviewer)
wrote on the 29 Mar 10 at 08:27
Voted Solution #28: adopt the XFCE placement approach in Gnome appearence prefs
KDE also offers the possibility configure the location of buttons in the title bar by the way. :)
Here's a screenshot:
http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/8407/kdetitlebarconfig1.png
(not the way I have it configured, but just to show off the possibilities)
Unfortunately, if Gnome continues with its philosophy of less options = easier to use, this will never happen...
KIAaze(Idea reviewer)
wrote on the 29 Mar 10 at 08:31
Note: "Unfortunately", KDE doesn't allow placing anything else than the spacer more than one time.
That way one could have a close button on the left AND on the right. ^^
Maybe Gnome will do it better.
This is a terrible idea....I am always hitting the wrong items with my mouse, and can see me closing windows instead of pressing "file".
Sometimes I get the feeling that a lot of change is happening just for the sake of change- look at gnome for instance, there are some really odd "tweaks" happening there.
Im going to change this as soon as I install 10.04, but what happens when these "new" items appear in 10.10- will we still have that option? I hope so.
Well in the latest update they have made it theme dependent, so if you don't like ambiance/radiance, pick another theme and the buttons will be where they are in the current layout. If you like the light themes you can still swap the side and order of the buttons back to your preferred placement and they still look correct.
Moving these buttons was a very poor choice. I support ubuntu machines in nine public libraries, for both patrons and staff, and I have no desire to spend hours fielding tech support complaints requesting these buttons be moved back. I realize it's possible to move them before releasing to users, but it's still really irritating. Been using linux for over a decade now, and it's instinctual to go for the buttons on the right.
Guys, this is a LTS release. Sysadmins have to install these on dozens of machines. It would make life much, much, MUCH easier if we had the choice of a theme at install time.
Like @rootchick said, we have no desire spending hours fielding tech support questions about button placement.
Please atleast have a way of choosing the theme at install time.
I... just have no words for this (at least polite ones). I can accept that Canonical makes horrible design choices, but what troubles me is how little Canonical seems to care what the community has to say, even though Ubuntu is promoted as community project, where everyone can get involved. Or maybe that's just a nice way to say "free labour welcomed".
I specially registered to post my 2 cents about this as well. I have been annoyed quite a lot by this sudden random change. I really wonder how this came to be: "Hey guys! i have an idea! lets annoy everybody by moving the window controls to the left for no reason!" "very nice jim! here's a promotion!"
Put them back to where everyone knows where they are or at least give the option. Just spent the last 2 hours clicking wrong buttons due to years of them being on the other side.
I agree 100%
This was a very bad idea. Moving the buttons should be a user option. Kudos to Andrew for posting link on how to change them back to where they SHOULD be!
Also, don't know if it's just my system, but Ubuntu software center takes FOREVER to download/install anything! Watching network traffic while installing ubuntu extras ( flash ) showed tiny bursts of up to 128K transfers, separated by 15 to 45 seconds of NO transfer...
Been using ubuntu since the early days, it provided me with a more polished desktop experience than debian out of the box. (not to offend the any debian people, as I love debian)
I have to say, like others (or I'd say the majority), I'm not keen on the left placement. I don't care whether it's macbuntu or winbuntu or whatever.
Firstly keeping the buttons on the right does not make it winbuntu, you could just as easily call it unixbuntu. Most linux desktop setups whichever distro/desktop environment you come from have the buttons to the right. So from a point of wooing people the only people you are likely to woo are the mac people, not the windows people and clearly from the responses not the linux people.
With regard to the the above, I have no idea of the rationale for moving them.
Secondly and more importantly, when using apps such as firefox, or even gnome term, you open a tab, and where is the close button? On the right. What I'm trying to say is that it is inconsistent. Also another app that no longer fits is chrome, (I'm not sure of the general feeling in the community of this browser)in order to maintain a consistent feel now in ubuntu, I have to turn on 'use system title bar and borders' losing, well on my screen about half inch of screen real estate.
In my opinion there was, or at least as it stands in 10.04, there was no need to make the change. There seems no benefit in the change. I'm not saying change is bad, I will reserve judgement until 10.10, but for now I'm move my buttons back to the right.
I tried having the buttons on both sides (minimize, maximise on left, close on right) and its actually quite nice, maybe this should be seriously considered...
A very bad idea. It is too close to the menus and it is far too 'mac', and it does mean I move my mouse to the right, tut to myself, and move to the left every time. Irritating.
At least put an option in the System->Preferences->Windows dialog to change it.
Not cool. Don't listen to any more ideas from whoever came up with this one - they have NO idea about HCI or usability!
The developers who made this choice have shown their total disrespect to the Ubuntu motto -- "Linux for Human Beings". Or did they suppose normal human beings would like when buttons that always have been on the right side showed up on the opposite corner?
Unlike many posts above, I'm also against making it depending on the selected theme. No need to confuse the users any more than it was already accomplished.
As for the developers/decision makers, I believe no one should be allowed to touch the keyboard and write a single line of code before understanding what 'fitting the user model' means. Everyone should read Joel's excelent post on the subject (http://www.joelonsoftware.com/uibook/chapters/fog0000000058.html). Another good reference is the book 'The Design of Everyday Things', by Donald A. Norman.
It really stinks to me that this was introduced so late in the release process. The arrogant pukes who decided on it were probably afraid that they would have heard *lots* of complaints - from normal people! from human beings! arrghhh!!
Shame on you guys... Please read all the posts here and learn a lesson on humility.
Now that they have moved then.. they should stay. But it has shown me that the developers are rushing changes, and doing them for the sake of doing things differently rather than with a purpose..
So I had this file and I wanted to save it, so I had the great idea of saving it by pressing file/save as... but then I aimed a bit too high and then BOOM the program exits and asks me to ¨close without saving/cancel/save¨, I was so tired and confused for that menu pop-up that I wanted to make it disappear so I choose ¨close without saving¨... big mistake. Also if you have a maximized window and click on the applications menu all the options will be on top of the window buttons, that didn't happened (so much) when the buttons were on the right (not a big deal maybe since the window looses focus anyways). Also the left side of the window looks so overcharged/unbalanced with so many options don't you think so?
I think that many of the complaints are from people that can't get used to changes quickly, I can get used to in a couple of days but this isn't helping Ubuntu, you have to consider that even if you all developer guys have Macs still most of the people in the world uses Windows and are used to having their windows buttons on the right hand side of the screen. Doing this on a LTS release just baffles me. I guess Ubuntu is not a democracy.
Changing the subject a bit 10.04 is slower with my video card Ge-force 8400M GS, and Plymouth sucks with it's low resolution default settings, it's buggy too, I'm using the 173 driver. Also what's up with that Mac-inspired wallpaper? Those cold colors make me feel depressed, I changed it obviously.
You know, Mac is expensive and prestigious. It if fashionable unlike Windows. If one sees a guy with Apple, he thinks "it's a cool guy with money". Several days ago I met blonde girl who said me "I have a notebook with MacOS". She thought she would impress me. If you want to be fashionable and prestigious you should look like MacOS. Ubuntu is MacOS for poor.
I'd disagree Nxx. Those who are fashionable don't really care which OS they are using honestly. Apple just portrays their OS as fashionable. Also, On OSX, many people don't use the buttons to close (their positioning isn't great), but rather the task bar.
Also, honestly, I don't think Canonical did it because OSX did, graphics people only like the look of the hardware (without being aware that even Dell has nice looking laptops these days), and finally, I wouldn't say Ubuntu/OSX targets the same crowd.
I Copied and :asted this at the prompt in terminal (and kudos to the marvo who wrote it: gconftool-2 --type string --set /apps/metacity/general/button_layout "menu:minimize,maximize,close"
It's *nix, I don't see why Gnome (or ANY wm/de for that matter) could not easily have totally theme independent system where you could arrange any possible (there can be quite a few, like in some Enlightenment DR16 themes) items (icon, buttons, title) could be arranged any way you like - Firefox presents a perfect way (as does Gnome desktop bars) for arranging items on bars, and it would work just as perfectly with desktop title bars.
Except maybe like some KB optimized tiling WM's that don't have nor need anything but title text in the top bar. But in those you don't need it - I use Ion myself and while in it I don't miss them but when (like right now) working on someones ubuntu, configuring it. I like the "traditional" titlebar but really wonder why is something like my idea already done.
As last note, it could be placed so that it's easy to find, yet does not seem confusing when Joe Windows sees it in menu or setting windows tab - Gnome and Ubuntu both have history on doing just that better and better :)
Absolute and epic fail. Bug 1 is to end Microsoft's dominance, not Apple's. This will serve no purpose other than perturb Win users trying to migrate who already coming in with high "I don't like different!!" levels. This runs 180 degrees counter to Bug 1 and should be reversed and the sooner the better.
Does the original poster know that he can change the location and arrangement of the min/max/close buttons to appear where ever he wants on the Window Border by using gconf-editor?
Exacly,youcanconfigureitwhateveryoulike, that why this is called linux.
cheesehead(Brainstorm admin)
wrote on the 7 Jul 11 at 05:01
10.04 came out. They didn't move the buttons.
Er, pre-release feedback really needs to go through the mailing lists or bug tracker. Brainstorm feedback simply won't reach developers before the release.
Closing in Brainstorm.