Version: (using KDE KDE 3.3.0) Installed from: SuSE RPMs OS: Linux At the moment sidebars are to static, best example: Open konqueror and go to a website, the sidebar stil displays the filesystem and the user has to configure the obvious, i.e. display bookmarks while being in the context of the internet. Context-sensitive sidebars could be a very useful tool to bring funtionality and information from several apps to the window/app the user is working with. I have set up a wiki-page for this that explains the idea in more detail: http://wiki.kde.org/tiki-index.php?page=KDE+Context-Sidebar More pictures can be found at: http://www.kde-look.org/content/show.php?content=15406 Altough there are certainly issues to be discussed, the responses and attempts to d/l this functionality I got within a very short time seem to show that there is a serious interest in this functionality.
The Wiki is up again, sorry for submitting this while it was down and nobody could have a look.
The idea of a sidebar is not new. Although I mostly agree with what you're saying, I'd like to add this: o You shouldn't pin down the idea of a side/context-bar to that one representation of it that you seem to like. Let the user choose where and how to place this bar, and if it autohides or not. o What you describe exists already in the IDEAL window mode with those tabs thingies at the side. Skin it (or hide the tabs) and you're done. o Why create so many different component that basicly do the same? It's a shame all those neat little apps people write are for such an exclusive audience. Kicker applets run only in Kicker... o No need to crowd up the workspace even more. In your example your have four windows open, all displaying different (complex) information. This tends to become very confusing. Look at the approach Mac is taking. They have a firm understanding of how to visualize complex info in a pleasing manner. Other than that: GREAT IDEA, but let's keep it simple, extensible, standardized ... eani < eani..pandora.be >
> o > You shouldn't pin down the idea of a side/context-bar to that one > representation of it that you seem to like. Let the user choose where and > how to place this bar, and if it autohides or not. Agreed. > o > What you describe exists already in the IDEAL window mode with those tabs > thingies at the side. Skin it (or hide the tabs) and you're done. I am not quite sure, what you mean. If you mean those sidebar-tabs giving the user access to drives, bookmarks, network etc. this is only a very basic part of what a context-sidebar should be. Currently the tabs do not open automatically according to the context, there can only be one tab opened (that splitting thing is not workable), there are only a limited number of features, i.e. no d&d list, no contect information displayed etc. > o > Why create so many different component that basicly do the same? It's a > shame all those neat little apps people write are for such an exclusive > audience. Kicker applets run only in Kicker... True. > o > No need to crowd up the workspace even more. In your example your have four > windows open, all displaying different (complex) information. This tends to > become very confusing. Look at the approach Mac is taking. They have a firm > understanding of how to visualize complex info in a pleasing manner. I never had a look at a Mac, but I see the point that a lot of sidebars, displayed at the same time is confusing, so the simple solution would simply be, autohide context-sidebars, if the window is set inactive. This way one would only have one context-sidebar at a time. > Other than that: GREAT IDEA, but let's keep it simple, extensible, > standardized ... Thanks, I'll try to put your comments into the wiki-article. If you would like to do that, go ahead.