Failing Dock (was Re: Stacks - a part of the Finder or just the Dock?)

[Ashley Aitken]

I understand what LuKreme is saying about stacks being for temporary  
collections of items from disparate locations, but I also agree with  
Bill that this can be done using folders of aliases (I do it all the  
time).  Stacks make this easier to do (in the Dock only) not  
requiring the user to create or name the folder, but I doubt they  
will be hierarchical (stacks that is, not folders),

All that said, I believe that one of the main reasons stacks have  
been introduced is to try to remedy the failing Dock.  I reckon that  
most serious Mac users are probably suffering from an overcrowded  
Dock with the items getting smaller and smaller - the only good  
things that has been happening lately in this regard is that displays  
are generally getting wider and the sidebar.

Stacks would allow us to combine a number of items on our docks - as  
LuKreme suggests - and get some space back (without having to create  
a folder and add aliases etc.)  Still I don't think this will fix the  
Dock.  I think the problem is deeper than this and relates to the  
fact that it is trying to do too much in such a limited space (the  
bottom of the display).

I usually have 15-20+ application running most of the time and use a  
quite a wide range of other applications (from admin to media).  With  
the current Dock I couldn't fit all the applications I use on the  
left side, so I leave the left side mostly for running application  
(i.e. there are only a few apps which are "Keep in Dock").  Thus I  
need to have folders (or now stacks with these items in them).

Since I also have lots of projects and resources that I like quick  
access to as well, I need folders and folders of folders on the right  
side.  Then there, the minimised windows, which we probably use less  
now because of Expose but still there are usually a few of these and  
they are top-level Dock items.   And, of course, there is the Trash.

Personally, I think a solution is to enable (serious users) to split  
the Dock into three pieces - 1) running applications, 2) minimised  
windows, and 3) all other things (folders, files, applications that  
are not running etc.) and place them on the three (unused) sides of  
the display.  I don't mind where the Trash goes, be it the end of the  
Dock or on the Finder sidebar or on the desktop.

The best solution I have found (so far) to do this is DragThing.  As  
I mentioned in a previous email, I use Dragthing with running apps in  
a dock on the left side of the display, open and minimised windows in  
a dock on the right side of the display, and categorised files,  
folders and apps in a tabbed dock at the bottom of the screen, all  
hidden until I hit the appropriate edge of the display.

Apple could do a similar thing very easily I believe.  Firstly,  
separate the area on the right side of the Dock that is used for  
minimised Windows, so the Dock would now have three separate areas.   
Secondly, make these areas detachable (or at least allow the user to  
specify where *each* area should be located (left, bottom, right) on  
the display.

Simple, elegant, scalable (from newbie to power user) solution.

Cheers,
Ashley.

PS If the user has multiple displays then they should be allowed to  
have the separated areas of the Dock at the bottom of specific  
displays or on the sides.