[Release] HomeSpike v1.0 — a real home screen for Ubuntu Touch (multi-page, dock, drag-to-reorder, three placement modes, true multitasking)

Zer0

@Keneda i did not know this. thanks

Zer0

@projectmoon I wouldn't try. This is only for ut vanilla. best case its buggy. worst case it bricks and the uninstaller doesn't help

projectmoon

@Zer0 I would assume so, yes.

Linus67

I think the current user interface and design of Ubuntu Touch are clean and unique. We should try to improve on this concept. For example, we could optimize the indicator list (visibility), add separators or spacing between apps in the drawer, and refine the app chain.

It seems that perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Moem

@Linus67 said:

add separators or spacing between apps in the drawer

I believe such a thing may be in the works!

Keneda

@Linus67
Take a look here, maybe you can share your thoughts.
https://forums.ubports.com/topic/12319/release-homespike-v1.0-a-real-home-screen-for-ubuntu-touch-multi-page-dock-drag-to-reorder-three-placement-modes-true-multitasking

Linus67

@Zer0 said:

HomeSpike is a fullscreen home surface for Ubuntu Touch (Lomiri) that replaces "drawer-as-default" with what most people actually expect from a phone: a wallpapered home grid you land on after unlock, swipeable pages of icons, an iOS-style dock, and an edit mode where you long-press to drag icons around or remove them. New apps you install auto-add to your last page. The Lomiri drawer is still there (the patched long-press inside it gives you an "Add to HomeSpike?" prompt), but it's no longer the first thing you see.

I disagree with the argument: "....with what most people actually expect from a phone.

The current user interface design of UT is very good. It offers some suggestions for improvements to the organization of apps (divider lines, pages, spacing). Visibility of the status bar.

In the case of Ubuntu Touch, attempting to copy Android or iPhone concepts can only result in poor imitations. Nobody wants that.

kugiigi

@projectmoon I'm pretty sure no
But it would be nice if this is packaged as Ambot/Jerk package so that it's easy for me to try.

Personally I'm not interested with a "proper" home screen but it would be interesting to see which ones can be implemented in the app drawer. I want to see how well the icon positioning works. My solution in Lomiri Plus isn't polished

Zer0

@Linus67 that's fair, and that's the point, this is for the people who do want it. The whole value of open source is choice: you run it how you like, I run it how I like. Up to now everyone was locked into one default that a lot of newcomers find confusing, especially coming from Android or iPhone. This is for those folks.
I don't really need to justify it, but a concrete example: my wife flat-out refused to use UT. The iOS style layout is for her. Something like this is exactly what gets non technical people to adopt it. Back when UT first launched I bought a Nexus 4 and 7 to run it, and the UI lost me inside a month, I went back to an iPhone. So I get being opinionated about your setup. This clearly isn't for you, and that's completely fine. It's an option, not a replacement.

Linus67

@Zer0
Absolutely no one will ever stick with Ubuntu Touch because it works similarly to an iPhone or Android device.
These people are also abandoning GrapheneOS even though it’s very similar to Android or iPhone.
To stick with Ubuntu Touch, it’s not enough to simply switch operating systems. It’s similar to Linux. So we should focus on the 5% of Linux users.
There are iPhone and Android people, Illy, Lavazza, BMW, and Porsche people. Today this, tomorrow that... Those aren’t real changes.
The only thing you can change in life is your mindset; the physical aspects will inevitably follow. Isn’t that exactly how it is?

brenno.almeida

@Zer0 Nice iniciative, to me there is some nice ideas in your effort, will try in a spare phone in the near future. Its always good to have options, design choices should evolve and enable users to use their device as they wish.

I would suggest having your work as an unconfined click app, so you can reach more users. There are other launchers and apps that modify Lomiri so should be doable.

Thanks for your work

Zer0

@Linus67 fair enough. im part of that 5% too and i can make UT do whatever i want. honestly i think the default ui is rough, thats why i made this. but thats just my take, not me saying everyone has to agree. its an option for people who want it. you dont and thats fine. point of UT is we each set it up how we like.

Zer0

@brenno.almeida Hey I'd appreciate the feedback!

Linus67

@Zer0 I installed HomeSpike v1.0 on a Pixel 3a running 24.04-1.3 rc. My respect for the work, but there’s still a lot to do before it works really well. As an app in the OpenStore—perfect!
I still find it to be a bit of an overlap in user interface concepts. The launcher already covers 90% of standard daily use. I think a moderate restructuring of the existing app drawer would make more sense.

Zer0

@Linus67 hey thanks for the feedback. i just added a system setting menu where you can turn it on and off. I just did some reading on how to get this ready for open store so that will be coming soon. also did some bug fix. v2 will have this fearure along with widgets and folders i hope. lol

Linus67

@Zer0 Turning it on and off or using it as an app sounds great. A lot of people will love it.
I have a Pixel 3a as a test device. Moving apps around is a bit clunky. A video would be the best way to explain this. I had a bit of trouble installing V1. Is version 2 available yet?
How can I update it?

Linus67

@Zer0 I'm sure you're familiar with this initiative as well:

Issue #127€2000

Personally, I prefer this solution. Instead of sorting strictly by alphabet, it should be possible to create custom categories.

Communication
Development
Tools
News
Education
Games
Favorites (fixiert) Like the iphon allway visible bar.

A way to pin a Favorites category (at the top or bottom)

And if anyone wants it, a toggle (App Drawer as Home Screen always on)

Zer0

@Linus67 nope. I haven't seen that

Keneda

@Linus67 said:

The current user interface design of UT is very good.

It is.

But if you hang in there since a long time, what @zer0 try to achieve is a long demand from some part of UT users.
And "home apps" like Launcher Modular or Home, got lot of downloads (xenial versions disappeared but had thousands).

So it is very good, but that doesn't mean adding possibilities for people who want more personalization is not a good way to make UI better for some people.

Linus67

@Keneda Please excuse me, but I’ve only been using Ubuntu Touch for about 4 or 5 months. So I’m still pretty new to it. I studied mechanical engineering—I’m not a Smartphone software engineer.
Anyway, my daughter wants to keep HomeSpike on her Pixel 3a (which is also the device I use for experiments).