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    "Desktop" should be background-picture + Icons

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Design
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      • X Offline
        xekuta747 @Lakotaubp
        last edited by

        @lakotaubp I thought this forum is for discussion about design.

        My question is: What are this empty 90 % of the Ubuntu Touch Screen for? It's so weird.

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        • Pulsar33P Offline
          Pulsar33
          last edited by Pulsar33

          Yes, this forum is for discussion and this is your opinion.
          Many people have another feeling. I don't want anything polluting my background picture

          screenshot20211004_170256018.png

          And moreover, I would like that this background picture can change automatically.
          This is why I created an issue (but nobody seems to have time to work on it)
          BR
          Pulsar33

          Aquaris BQ E5 HD UBports OTA-25 (currently testing features)
          Aquaris BQ E5 HD Ubuntu Edition Canonical OTA-15 (last Canonical version, daily use)
          Raspberry Pi 4 B - 4 GB & 8 GB with various OS and Desktops (UBports not OK)

          X ? 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 3
          • K Offline
            kugiigi
            last edited by

            We respect your opinion but I don't think that would happen anytime soon or ever especially removing the launcher and app drawer. I personally don't like that because that would just make it like Android and iOS and I don't like staring at a sea of icons and apps šŸ˜„

            Many things in UT are not really intended decisions, they can be just that something's not implemented yet. For example, the app drawer is just a list with no way to customize or even sort but it's only because it hasn't been given much priority to improve it. Same with the desktop, I'm pretty sure there will be options that will be implemented there like app shortcuts, file shortcuts and widgets. Someone just needs to implement them.

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
            • X Offline
              xekuta747 @Pulsar33
              last edited by

              @pulsar33 Thank you, that is the discussion I like. You give me an example for a reason why this kind of desktop is useful, in this case as a digital picture frame.

              A R 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
              • A Offline
                Alter @xekuta747
                last edited by

                @xekuta747 For me, the clean uncluttered design of Ubuntu Touch is something very appealing. Personally, I find that having all app icons in sight all of the time (like on A****** ) creates a chaotic appearance. So, for me I hope it can stay that way. But, for you there are apps that can change appearance, and who knows in the future we can do this in OS settings?

                Regular user, UT since 2020, Now: Volla Phone (20.04 Stable)

                KenedaK 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • KenedaK Offline
                  Keneda @Alter
                  last edited by Keneda

                  @alter
                  Nobody is saying apps MUST be on the background, just that the desktop should be tweakable.

                  Who wants nothing on it let it empty, who wants to add some apps icons on it can, same for widgets, same for folders (for sorting apps or for files), etc...

                  I don't think this is chaotic by the way :
                  text alternatif

                  In the other way, not being able to sort apps in the app drawer can be very chaotic when you have lot of apps in it.

                  2015-2023 : Meizu MX4 ā˜ ļøāš°ļøāœļø
                  2023-2024 : Nexus 5 ā˜ ļøāš°ļøāœļø
                  2024-***** : FPOS Fairphone 5 waiting UT for freedom šŸ˜‰
                  šŸ‡²šŸ‡«šŸ‡¬šŸ‡§

                  A MoemM 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 2
                  • A Offline
                    Alter @Keneda
                    last edited by

                    @keneda I just wanted to show my appreciation for the current clean layout of UT. I understand this thread is not directly about leaving that design choice, but a discussion about more desktop tweak options in OS settings. I am all for that, and I understand some users with a lot of apps might even NEED to tweak the design. This not necessarily means cluttering up the desktop, I know, but it can. I just hope that it will always be possible to have a clean layout.

                    Regular user, UT since 2020, Now: Volla Phone (20.04 Stable)

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • ? Offline
                      A Former User @Pulsar33
                      last edited by

                      @pulsar33 said in "Desktop" should be background-picture + Icons:

                      I don't want anything polluting my background picture

                      +1 for the nice puppy picture

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                      • MoemM Offline
                        Moem @Keneda
                        last edited by

                        @keneda said in "Desktop" should be background-picture + Icons:

                        Nobody is saying apps MUST be on the background

                        One could be forgiven for believing that this was in fact said by the OP.

                        Is currently using an Op5t
                        Also owns an Op1, a BQ E4.5 and an Xperia X, as well as a BQ tablet and a Pinetab2. Please, someone... make it stop.

                        KenedaK 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                        • KenedaK Offline
                          Keneda @Moem
                          last edited by

                          @moem
                          Indeed 😁

                          2015-2023 : Meizu MX4 ā˜ ļøāš°ļøāœļø
                          2023-2024 : Nexus 5 ā˜ ļøāš°ļøāœļø
                          2024-***** : FPOS Fairphone 5 waiting UT for freedom šŸ˜‰
                          šŸ‡²šŸ‡«šŸ‡¬šŸ‡§

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                          • R Offline
                            RobTheBold @xekuta747
                            last edited by

                            @xekuta747 said in "Desktop" should be background-picture + Icons:

                            frame

                            Barring further explanation, I think that's exactly the design goal: to reserve the lower-right ~90% of the screen for pet pictures.

                            ? X 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 2
                            • ? Offline
                              A Former User @RobTheBold
                              last edited by A Former User

                              @robthebold said in "Desktop" should be background-picture + Icons:

                              to reserve the lower-right ~90% of the screen for pet pictures.

                              On that note, here's Jess and Henry enjoying a dip in Mangaokewa Stream in the Waikato.

                              screenshot20211005_195828421_40.png

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                              • U Offline
                                UniSuperBox
                                last edited by

                                We've had an adjacent discussion before: https://forums.ubports.com/topic/2579/i-wanna-go-home

                                There have also been discussions about making the app Drawer a place where the user can pin an application to -- as in, every time they boot the device, their chosen app runs and its window is positioned inside the Drawer element. That way you've always got one app which you can drag out.

                                This is also the case for making the "area that shows when no apps are running" (you might call it the desktop, but it doesn't work like that right now, I'll call it the Background) a place where a running app window can be placed.

                                Ultimately, any of these are possible. There are questions that need to be answered as always:

                                • What happens if the special app crashes?
                                • How do you get back to the special app? (irrelevant in the case of the drawer)
                                • How does the user set it up?
                                • What if someone sets up an app that can't actually launch other apps?
                                • What happens when the display size changes? Changes back?
                                • Who's gonna answer these questions and code the solution?

                                The people being paid to work on Ubuntu Touch have bigger fish to fry right now: Ubuntu Touch must become based on Ubuntu 20.04, and we must pay back technical debt accrued since 2012 to do so. Ubuntu Touch must have VoLTE support soon, else our phones will become unusable as phones. So we've got our work cut out for us. A solution that makes the Drawer or Background a customizable app area could exist, and it could even work. But then, changes to Lomiri (and system-settings, and anything else you need to touch to make this possible) must be carefully self-tested and user-tested. We require this to keep Ubuntu Touch running smoothly. It's a lot of work, but it's doable. Who will be the one to do it?

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 6
                                • M Offline
                                  marlboro50
                                  last edited by

                                  No thanks, I already own an Android device, that's the reason I'm switching. I'm looking forward to a convergent device running the same OS and software on any computer, with the ability to run regular desktop programs when connected to a large screen.

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                  • X Offline
                                    xekuta747 @RobTheBold
                                    last edited by

                                    @robthebold Thank you for exactly replying to the core of my post. If the goal is to provide a platform for pet pictures, I confirm that it is achieved and the job is well done. 🐶 :beaming_face_with_smiling_eyes:

                                    Pulsar33P 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                    • Pulsar33P Offline
                                      Pulsar33 @xekuta747
                                      last edited by Pulsar33

                                      @xekuta747 : no, the goal isn't to provide a platform for pet pictures but the minimal need is what we have today, a background picture and a drawer. @UniSuperBox has replied to the core of your question about what else could be done but nobody has [time + knowledge] to do it today. And whatever is added to the desktop must be optional because the current situation is agreed by many people who don't want more than this.
                                      BR
                                      Pulsar33

                                      Aquaris BQ E5 HD UBports OTA-25 (currently testing features)
                                      Aquaris BQ E5 HD Ubuntu Edition Canonical OTA-15 (last Canonical version, daily use)
                                      Raspberry Pi 4 B - 4 GB & 8 GB with various OS and Desktops (UBports not OK)

                                      KenedaK 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • KenedaK Offline
                                        Keneda @Pulsar33
                                        last edited by Keneda

                                        @pulsar33 said in "Desktop" should be background-picture + Icons:

                                        must be optional because the current situation is agreed by many people who don't want more than this.
                                        BR

                                        I can't imagine an other way that make custom home/desktop optional, if made, and i believe no one can.
                                        But if you take a look at how many downloads gets Home and Launcher Modular, you'll understand many people want more than a "pet show" šŸ˜‰

                                        Now wouldn't that be a good thing that devs from thoses apps want/can contribute directly to port those features to core OS ?

                                        2015-2023 : Meizu MX4 ā˜ ļøāš°ļøāœļø
                                        2023-2024 : Nexus 5 ā˜ ļøāš°ļøāœļø
                                        2024-***** : FPOS Fairphone 5 waiting UT for freedom šŸ˜‰
                                        šŸ‡²šŸ‡«šŸ‡¬šŸ‡§

                                        X AppLeeA 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • X Offline
                                          xekuta747 @Keneda
                                          last edited by

                                          @keneda It's clear to me that many work is done here liberatelly, and that there is no time for such things. But if we want to give this system a future, we have to

                                          a) suggest improvements
                                          b) implement the best of them
                                          c) make satisfied customers that pay a contribution.

                                          I pay my contribution as soon as the system works on my phone.

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                                          • AppLeeA Offline
                                            AppLee @Keneda
                                            last edited by

                                            @keneda
                                            It has been clearly said in the past that PR to the OS are welcome.
                                            But the PR shall meet some quality level.

                                            At the moment, the solution found is considered a hack because there is no clean way to add or remove the "background" apps in a confined way.

                                            One is welcome to add a feature to the OS allowing:
                                            1- To run a confined app instead of the background.
                                            2- To configure which app to act as background.
                                            3- To force running this app at all time while not breaking the confinement.
                                            4- The configured app cannot be killed (it should not appear as an open app)

                                            This brings a lot of questions and is an architectural nightmare.
                                            But this can be achieved I guess, given a lot of time and effort.

                                            So to summarize: no one is blocking any effort in that way.
                                            But hacking the system with "a simple hack" is not enough work to get integrated into the OS.
                                            Many use cases have to be considered before accepting a PR to add a new feature to the OS.
                                            Reviewing PR is not an easy job I can assure you.

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                                            • mateo_saltaM Offline
                                              mateo_salta
                                              last edited by

                                              my showdesk app is floating around telegram, that will show you just your background no icons

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