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

[Ashley Aitken]

Hi Matt (et al.),

On 17/06/2007, at 1:01 AM, Matt Johnston wrote:

> On 16 Jun 2007, at 02:40, Ashley Aitken wrote:
>
>> 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.
>
> So, you have what you want. Brilliant.

Yes, I am pretty happy, but not completely, see the other part of the  
post.

I'd prefer that the Apple Dock provided the solution, and I think it  
would be a natural progression for the Dock, to allow it to fulfil  
the needs of more users (not all, of course).  I also appreciate that  
Apple doesn't want to lose the simplicity of the Dock for newbies.

> No offense, Ashley, but I don't want your UI design.

No offense taken, that's fine with me.  This proposal wouldn't force  
you to use the Dock any differently than you do now.

>> Simple, elegant, scalable (from newbie to power user) solution.
>
> This is the argument used for X11 based window managers.

Not necessarily, my analogy was the one button mouse that is scales  
to more buttons as users become more experienced.

>> 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.
>
> At what point does the preference pane for this become unmanageable?

I'm sure Apple could work it out.

Cheers,
Ashley.


--
Ashley Aitken
Perth, Western Australia
mrhatken at mac dot com
Skype Name: MrHatken (GMT + 8 Hours!)