Projects/Usability/NWI

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Revision as of 10:11, 26 April 2009 by Macias (talk | contribs)

From editor :-) -- how to add [edit] buttons per each section/heading?


Why?

It happens almost every day — you edit some data in one application (like html file in KWrite), you view the results using another application (like Konqueror). So despite there is no relation between KWrite and Konqueror, for this task — task you perform right now — those two applications are related. Would it be useful if those two applications work temporarily as one — a group?

Kpdf + group of KWrite and Konqueror

Let's say you launched Kpdf as well. Traditionally when you switch from Kpdf to KWrite, Window Manager (WM) brings only KWrite to the front, so you have to bring to front Konqueror by yourself. This tiresome — with grouping, KWrite and Konqueror would act as one — you switch to group, all applications are put in front.

Whenever you feel it would be more natural to put several applications as one group (because of the common task, or common data, or just for fun), NWI lets you do it — as tiles or as tabs.

What it is?

Probably you are already familiar with several User Interface kinds — TDI, MDI, SDI, and so on. Some of them proved to be very useful, some of them not especially. In NWI world the most basic, yet the more flexible UI you can think of are SAI, GAI and TAI.

Single Application Interface (SAI)

This is really the simplest UI, no magic here. Just application window with some data. Examples: Kpdf, Okular.

Konqueror as SAI example

Grouped Applications Interface (GAI)

Tabbed Applications Interface (TAI)

Nested Windows Interface (NWI)

Actions

Switchers

Default key bindings