Design issueshttps://gitlab.gnome.org/groups/Teams/Design/-/issues2024-03-28T18:57:09Zhttps://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/usability/-/issues/63Investigate discoverability of header bar icon buttons2024-03-28T18:57:09ZAllan DayInvestigate discoverability of header bar icon buttonsPreviously we had issues with Software users not noticing the search button - https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-software/-/issues/986 . More recently, @Udo_I identified a similar issue in Clocks (see issue 3 in #60). It would be inter...Previously we had issues with Software users not noticing the search button - https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-software/-/issues/986 . More recently, @Udo_I identified a similar issue in Clocks (see issue 3 in #60). It would be interesting to perform some further tests on this design pattern, to see how common the issue is, and whether there are any other contributing factors (such as the width of the window).https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/usability/-/issues/61One Time GNOME User Test [Outreachy Task Submittion]2024-03-28T18:38:17ZKomuhangi TumuhairweOne Time GNOME User Test [Outreachy Task Submittion]**Findings for \[Task 17\]**( https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/usability/-/issues/17)
---
**System Specifications**
**Operating System:** Ubuntu Version 23.10
**GNOME Version:** 45.2
---
**Participant Profiles.**
**Participan...**Findings for \[Task 17\]**( https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/usability/-/issues/17)
---
**System Specifications**
**Operating System:** Ubuntu Version 23.10
**GNOME Version:** 45.2
---
**Participant Profiles.**
**Participant one:**
**Name:** Tusiime Amutuhaire
**Gender:** Female
**Profession:** Writer
Tusiime Amutuhaire is a writer and creative artist in Uganda with basic Computing skills. She uses computers for her writing and more specifically Microsoft word on Windows. Her daily activities include writing, editing, linking, sharing work with colleagues. Prior to this interview, Tusiime had never heard of GNOME. She has heard of Linux and that is it. This is why Tusiime was an ideal participant for the First Time User Research Study.
**Participant Two**
**Name:** Kukunda Ndyamuhaki.
**Gender:** Female.
**Profession:** Geoscience Engineer.
Kukunda Ndyamuhaki is a professional geoscience Engineer with good Computing Skills. She uses a computer for her daily work more specifically excel spreadsheets on windows. Her daily activities include data analysis, data interpretation, pattern finding. Prior to this interview, Kukunda had never heard of GNOME. She has heard of Linux and that is it. This is why Kukunda was an ideal participant for the First Time User Research Study.
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**Research Methodology**
The goal of this research was to asses usability of the participants' experience with the GNOME desktop environment as a first-time users. The study focused on level of ease, understanding user challenges, pain points, and areas for improvement.
The study relied heavily on the users' abilities to complete a series of tasks on GNOME desktop environment and observation for body language.
The tasks provided covered File management, navigation, readability, error handling and user control. A summary of the tasks and the entire interview plan can be accessed here: [Interview_plan](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lpk8ZsYTqvUu4HntHmBQxpP66_J5jnB\_/edit#heading=h.65n5i8quazrd) or [user_interview](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dqbT_YqoNKGzHGjjJKL-LzJKB4VpWEH8/view?usp=sharing) or
[NEW GNOME USER INTERVIEW SCRIPT.docx.pdf](/uploads/c9bdc764efe6a3d03f3f5bdbfb258fdb/NEW_GNOME_USER_INTERVIEW_SCRIPT.docx.pdf)
<table>
<tr>
<th>Area Covered</th>
<th>Details</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>File Management</td>
<td>Folder creation, file creation, folder and file naming, typing and saving text in a text management file, closing folders, files.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Navigation</td>
<td>
Finding 'show applications' , LibreOffice Writer, LibreOffice Calc.
Maximising and minimising LibreOffice Writer, LibreOffice Calc. Closing folders and opening files
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Readability</td>
<td>Finding of fonts, Icons and tooltips legible and easy to understand</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Error Handling</td>
<td>Confirmation dialog boxes preventing a user from making a mistake</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>User Control</td>
<td>Turning and editing text according to user's preference</td>
</tr>
</table>
The study employed the use of recording devices for sound and screen video and observation from an outside room. The sound recordings were done on a sit down with the participants.
The observation was to majorly read into the participant's body language and during the task accomplishment phase the participant was encouraged to think out loud. The sound recordings detail the participant's sigh moments as well as achievement moments. A combination of these afforded the ability to understand slightly some of the mental models with each participant and draw conclusions.
---
**Task Accomplishment Phase.**
In general this phase was a success according to the success criteria detailed in the interview plan script.
However a the users detailed a few things about their experiences .
**Participant one:** Tusiime Amutuhaire
---
**Liked Aspects**
---
1. The participant got excited about the general look and feel of the GNOME interface.
2. The participant thought the experience was systematic and the ability to group her work with ease was very vital.
3. The participant thought LibreOffice writer has an exciting look, it gave her an impression that perhaps she is writing in her notebook, a space close to her thoughts. She continues to detail that LibreOffice Writer was an attractive space more specifically the margin indent of the writing pad which helped her visually compose her thoughts.
**Disliked Aspects**
---
1. The user disliked a popup that appeared while she wrote.
2. The user also detailed that she couldn't locate the fonts she liked in the fonts list. She details that she couldn't find a lot of script writing fonts in the list of fonts.
**Challenging Tasks**
---
1. The user found that the changing of the font was not what she is used to on her preferred Operating system
**Conclusion**
---
* The user gave a score of 8 out of 10 on her likelihood to continue using GNOME and more specifically LibreOffice Writer. She details that the software opened her mind creatively with the interesting different colors on the icons which makes them more visible and invited her to want to know what each does, the detailed tooltips on that icons detailing what each icon does even without using it.
* The user detailed that she very likely to recommend her colleagues to try GNOME more specifically LibreOffice.
* Some of the mental models were the use of short cuts such as ctrl + s to save her work.
* The idea that when she clicks save the document should close automatically.
**Participant Two:** Kukunda Ndyamuhaki
---
**Liked Aspects**
---
1. The participant detailed that the GNOME interface more specificaly LibreOffice Calc was user friendly (not confusing, straightforward).
2. The participant appreciated that the LibreOffice Calc interface had colorful visible icons.
3. The participant thought the experience was good, folder creation and file creation. She described it to be smooth.
4. The participant appreciated the fact that when you type in a method and press enter the software provides a format of that software automatically. Forex ample she typed =SUM and pressed Enter and the brackets appeared automatically.
5. The participant got excited about the presence of a gallery in LibreOffice Calc and would like to explore it more.
6. The participant also appreciated the presence of the help section and detailed that it is very helpful indeed to know that she can be helped in case she gets stuck
7. The participant thought of the fonts to be new but okay , her preference though was Nimbus Roman
**Disliked Aspects**
---
1. The participant did not like that she had to type the whole 'LibreOffice Calc' word to find the applications. She detailed that she had to be attentive and careful.
**Challenging Tasks**
---
1. The user first struggled to save her file with the name draft. She clicked on the search icon and later realized that it was not the place to accommodate the file name
2. The user found that she couldn't border her work in LibreOffice Calc to make her work stand out as a table from the background. Although this was no part of the tasks, the user wanted to include it in her work.
3. She first struggled to do the summation of numbers.
**Conclusion**
---
* The user found the navigation to be clear and straight forward
* The detailed that she would want to take this on and know more about it especially the icons and what each one does.
* Some of the mental models were the use of short cuts such as ctrl + s to save her work.
**Observations**
---
The participants got attracted by the general feel and appearance of the applications, their colorfulness and visible ions.
Each participant was able to accomplish the tasks successfully regardless of the challenges in averagely 10 minutes and them being first time users it showed a willingness to learn and try something new. The fact that the participants even when past what the tasks required and started trying out their own things proves that interest was picked to explore these applications more.
I observed that the participants had to pay extra attention onto the tasks which they attributed to the newness of it . Even thought they have their preferred Operating System, Windows, the child-like excitement as one participant termed it and the drive to look for an alternative as another participant termed it, got them interested into exploring these application softwares more, that is, LibreOffice Calc and LibreOffice Writer.
**Advise or Recommendation.**
---
Tusiime wondered why her newly created folder was cast to the bottom right of the desktop and recommended that the folder should stay where she clicks to create it unless she moves it.
**Improvement Area on Future First-time User Testing**
---
Participants in this research are accustomed to using Windows as their preferred operating system. Most of their mental modals are from using Windows. In the future this study should be expanded to participants who have never used a computer and after a while determine what mental modals they come up with. I think by interviewing new to computer users, a deeper understanding of GNOME usability and it's support to user learning can be attained. I would also suggest interviewing of other operating system users such as Chrome Os , MacOs. This would avail a deeper look into user preferences and whys and could feed some improvement suggestions and creative decisions.
**Attachements**
---
**Interview Script/Plan**
---
[Interview Script](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lpk8ZsYTqvUu4HntHmBQxpP66_J5jnB\_/edit#heading=h.gjdgxs) or [Interview plan](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dqbT_YqoNKGzHGjjJKL-LzJKB4VpWEH8/view) or
[NEW GNOME USER INTERVIEW SCRIPT.docx.pdf](/uploads/8b95dde18916e3382dc110e61b7bb454/NEW_GNOME_USER_INTERVIEW_SCRIPT.docx.pdf)
**Participant One:** Tusiime Amutuhaire.
---
**Video Attachment**
[Miss Amutuhaire Tusiime Tutu.webm](/uploads/111dc005bfee2480f4d0add7dd2f3ed7/Miss_Amutuhaire_Tusiime_Tutu.webm)
**Audio Attachements**
[Introduction of the research with Miss Tusiime.m4a](/uploads/630a5c0279389ebcbbcdb64cd45f5e35/Introduction_of_the_research_with_Miss_Tusiime.m4a)
[During task accomplishment by Miss Tusiime.m4a](/uploads/dfd9a06dafd1dd5aedad15dbe3087a73/During_task_accomplishment_by_Miss_Tusiime.m4a)
[Follow up assessment with Miss Tusiime.m4a](/uploads/bcefd66f517b696fe5289d3ab9ea775f/Follow_up_assessment_with_Miss_Tusiime.m4a)
**Participant Two:** Kukunda Ndyamuhaki
---
**Video Attachment**
[Miss Kukunda Ndyamuhaki.webm](/uploads/6461f1a80b0426faab8c655cd8ef9dcd/Miss_Kukunda_Ndyamuhaki.webm)
**Audio Attachements**
[Introduction of interview with Miss Kukunda.m4a](/uploads/8715695f5a5a6e48dba43b0fa60ecb66/Introduction_of_interview_with_Miss_Kukunda.m4a)
[During task accomplishment by Miss Kukunda.m4a](/uploads/366ee4a111eab1594302ed0dce8e655b/During_task_accomplishment_by_Miss_Kukunda.m4a)
[Follow up assessment with Miss Kukunda.m4a](/uploads/159075a1346d46d12ad8afbed42d17d4/Follow_up_assessment_with_Miss_Kukunda.m4a)
Research by: Komuhangi Tumuhairwehttps://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/app-mockups/-/issues/105Files: adding a bookmark needs improvement2024-03-27T10:24:39ZAllan DayFiles: adding a bookmark needs improvementI think we know that adding bookmarks isn't very discoverable currently, and this was recently confirmed in this research exercise: https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/usability/-/issues/52
It would be good to look at this as part of ...I think we know that adding bookmarks isn't very discoverable currently, and this was recently confirmed in this research exercise: https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/usability/-/issues/52
It would be good to look at this as part of the ongoing redesign of the files sidebar.https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/settings-mockups/-/issues/70Reassess inclusion of brightness in display settings2024-03-27T10:24:39ZAllan DayReassess inclusion of brightness in display settingsAt some point in the past we removed the brightness slider from the display settings. We might want to reconsider that decision, based on the findings in this research exercise: https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/usability/-/issues/52...At some point in the past we removed the brightness slider from the display settings. We might want to reconsider that decision, based on the findings in this research exercise: https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/usability/-/issues/52
This would be a good thing to look at alongside the next round of design work on the display settings.https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/app-icon-requests/-/issues/47Aurea2024-03-27T09:34:17ZCleo Menezes Jr.Aurea<!--
Please provide links to the project and enough description to
help create an appropriate metaphor. Increase your chance of
getting a designer help you out:
- Provide the app on Flathub
- Strive to follow the GNOME Guidelines
- Co...<!--
Please provide links to the project and enough description to
help create an appropriate metaphor. Increase your chance of
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- Strive to follow the GNOME Guidelines
- Communicate your app brand ideas
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| | |
|--------------|---------------|
| Project | Aurea |
| Description | **"A banner previewer for Flatpak applications metainfo files"** |
| Flathub page | - |
| Upstream bug | https://github.com/CleoMenezesJr/Aurea/issues/1 |https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/whiteboards/-/issues/237Help apps better work in the background2024-03-26T02:14:36ZAdrien PlazasHelp apps better work in the background## Background Apps
I'm glad we are adopting background apps in GNOME, there are many use-cases for them, and I think the direction we are taking with the background apps menu really fits GNOME well as it's simple and uncluttered, while ...## Background Apps
I'm glad we are adopting background apps in GNOME, there are many use-cases for them, and I think the direction we are taking with the background apps menu really fits GNOME well as it's simple and uncluttered, while fixing some of the issues on other designs by e.g. allowing you to easily close background apps: background shouldn't mean hidden or inaccessible.
On desktops, background apps are typically implemented via a system tray. While system trays are a mess and I'm glad we got rid of ours, its removal left a void and some valid use-cases for background apps were left unimplemented. All we had to offer to work around the issue was to never close an app's window and to bury it in a virtual desktop.
On mobiles, backgrounds apps are standard and adopting them will help GNOME better fit mobiles, with the extra benefit that they will be familiar to any Android of iOS user.
## Expectations
Apps are typically left to run in the background when the user doesn't need to interact with them but they still have work to do indefinitely. You typically also want them to start in the background when you log in. Such tasks typically are synchronizing files, fetching new messages, mails, articles, or podcasts, or even playing sound when the app starts.
The first thing I don't want to do when I start my system is to think about all the applications I need to start just to hide their windows on another virtual desktop and don't interact with, all of that to let them do background work and not to use these windows. Not only is it the definition of shitwork, but my precarious attention may be dragged by something I see on one of these windows. Also, I may accidentally close an app by closing its last window just because I finished interacting with it, while I wanted it to keep working in the background. The background metaphor helps more clearly splitting an app's background tasks from its user interaction.
I know very well the current state isn't by design, and that you all are working to improve the situation, [the new designs](https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/os-mockups/-/tree/master/background-apps) and portals look great! I'm excited by the direction we are taking and I'm just trying to help that global effort. 🙂 I'm also certain there is tons of ongoing work here and there and probably my work is irrelevant or has already been done elsewhere. But because I don't know what I don't know, I decided to do it anyway.
I expect a typical background app:
- to automatically start when I log in
- to do so without showing a window
- to automatically start doing the background work I expect from it
- to notify me when relevant
- to let me choose what I want to receive notifications for
- to reveal its window when I activate it from the apps menu, the dash, the background apps menu, a notification, a search result…
- to keep running in the background when I close its last window
- to have an entry in the background apps menu when it's running with no visible window
- to let me close it for good from the background apps menu
- to offer settings to work as a foreground-only app, disabling all the previous features
Of courses these expectations are global and some of them may not make sense for some apps, but I think it's are fairly reasonable generic set of expectations for background apps. These expectations are of course also very personal and hence biased, comments are welcome.
## Checking the Current State
Let's see is these expectations are fulfilled. I will test some applications for which I can think of background use-cases and apps which offer some of the expected features.
I will only test apps designed for GNOME, whether they are core, circle, or not. I'm going to exclusively test applications installed from Flathub, with the exception of Software which I think shouldn't be omitted. Because I can't test everything and because I prefer to test only applications I know and use to some extent, the list won't be long and there will be notable omissions like Evolution, Polari, and Rhythmbox. I also won't test SyncthingGTK because it's clearly not designed for GNOME, despite being a good background app candidate. The goal isn't to test the whole GNOME application ecosystem, but only to have a large-enough and relevant-enough set. Feel free to contribute more tests if you want to.
I tested the applications on March 17, 2024, on a Fedora Silverblue 40 prerelease running GNOME 46.beta. I didn't talk to these apps' maintainers, so I don't know if they worked or are working on the features I checked, so my results may soon be deprecated. Also, some of the features may of may not be implemented for design or technical reasons that may of may not be related to the background apps use-case. When the apps offer settings to enable some of the features I expect, I consider they support them, and when some of these features aren't relevant to its design, I will simply omit them.
## Test Results
### Amberol 0.10.3
It may be odd to start by it because I sorted the apps in alphabetical order, but I actually don't expect Amberol to work as a background application. By design, it doesn't handle your music library and it only plays songs you fed it after starting it. Because of that, it wouldn't make sense for it to automatically start when I log in, especially in the background: it can't do anything without the user's interaction. On top of that, as it's a music player I already have audio feedback of what the application is doing, so I don't need graphical notifications to let me know the app started playing the next song, e.g.
It offers the following setting, which is enabled by default:
- Background Playback
Here is how it matches my expected features set:
- [omitted] automatically starts when I log in
- [omitted] does so without showing a window
- [omitted] automatically starts doing the background work I expect from it
- [omitted] notifies me when relevant
- [omitted] lets me choose what I want to receive notifications for
- [x] keeps running in the background when I close its last window
- [x] reveals its window when I activate it from the apps menu, the dash, the background apps menu, a notification, a search result…
- [x] has an entry in the background apps menu when it's running with no visible window
- [x] lets me close it for good from the background apps menu
- [x] offers settings to work as a foreground-only app, disabling all the previous features
While Amberol isn't what I would call a typical background app, it supports all the background app features relevant to its design.
### Blanket 0.6.0
I expect Blanket to start playing background sounds when I start my computer. Because I expect it to do so, I also expect to to keep playing the sounds after I close its window.
It offers the following settings:
- Autostart in background
- Keep playing when closed
After switching them on, here is how it matches my expected features set:
- [x] automatically starts when I log in
- [x] does so without showing a window
- [x] automatically starts doing the background work I expect from it
- [omitted] notifies me when relevant
- [omitted] lets me choose what I want to receive notifications for
- [x] keeps running in the background when I close its last window
- [x] reveals its window when I activate it from the apps menu, the dash, the background apps menu, a notification, a search result…
- [x] has an entry in the background apps menu when it's running with no visible window
- [x] lets me close it for good from the background apps menu
- [x] offers settings to work as a foreground-only app, disabling all the previous features
Its perfect! My only complain is that the name of the settings are confusing, that they are in different menus, and that [the sounds only start playing when the app starts if you closed it while they were playing](https://github.com/rafaelmardojai/blanket/issues/328), which is confusing, especially as I set it to autostart *because* I want it to play the sounds when I log in.
### Fractal 6
I expect Fractal to fetch new messages in the background and to notify me when I receive some.
Here is how it matches my expected features set:
- [ ] automatically starts when I log in
- [ ] does so without showing a window
- [x] automatically starts doing the background work I expect from it
- [x] notifies me when relevant
- [x] lets me choose what I want to receive notifications for
- [ ] keeps running in the background when I close its last window
- [ ] reveals its window when I activate it from the apps menu, the dash, the background apps menu, a notification, a search result…
- [ ] has an entry in the background apps menu when it's running with no visible window
- [ ] lets me close it for good from the background apps menu
- [ ] offers settings to work as a foreground-only app, disabling all the previous features
Sadly Fractal only works as a foreground application, though running in the background when the app was closed [has been discussed](https://gitlab.gnome.org/World/fractal/-/issues/228).
### Geary 44.1
I expect Geary to fetch and send emails in the background.
Here is how it matches my expected features set:
- [ ] automatically starts when I log in
- [ ] does so without showing a window
- [x] automatically starts doing the background work I expect from it
- [x] notifies me when relevant
- [ ] lets me choose what I want to receive notifications for
- [ ] keeps running in the background when I close its last window
- [ ] reveals its window when I activate it from the apps menu, the dash, the background apps menu, a notification, a search result…
- [ ] has an entry in the background apps menu when it's running with no visible window
- [ ] lets me close it for good from the background apps menu
- [ ] offers settings to work as a foreground-only app, disabling all the previous features
Geary would be a perfect background app, but it doesn't implement the features for that.
### Lollypop 1.4.37
I expect Lollypop to play music on login, and to keep playing music in the background.
Lollypop has the following settings:
- Continue playback when closed: Play music in the background
- Restore state on startup: Restore current playback and view
After switching them on, here is how it matches my expected features set:
- [ ] automatically starts when I log in
- [ ] does so without showing a window
- [x] automatically starts doing the background work I expect from it
- [x] notifies me when relevant
- [ ] lets me choose what I want to receive notifications for
- [x] keeps running in the background when I close its last window
- [x] reveals its window when I activate it from the apps menu, the dash, the background apps menu, a notification, a search result…
- [x] has an entry in the background apps menu when it's running with no visible window
- [x] lets me close it for good from the background apps menu
- [x] offers settings to work as a foreground-only app, disabling all the previous features
Lollypop only misses starting in the background on login to be perfect! It could resume the last song as it does now, or maybe it could offer playing some random song.
### Newsflash 3.1.6
I expect Newsflash to fetch articles in the background.
Newsflash offers the following settings:
- Run in Background: Fetch updates while the app is closed
- Autostart: Start App on login
- Sync on Startup: Fetch updates when the App is launched
After switching it on, here is how it matches my expected features set:
- [x] automatically starts when I log in
- [x] does so without showing a window
- [x] automatically starts doing the background work I expect from it
- [x] notifies me when relevant
- [ ] lets me choose what I want to receive notifications for
- [x] keeps running in the background when I close its last window
- [x] reveals its window when I activate it from the apps menu, the dash, the background apps menu, a notification, a search result…
- [x] has an entry in the background apps menu when it's running with no visible window
- [x] lets me close it for good from the background apps menu
- [x] offers settings to work as a foreground-only app, disabling all the previous features
While Newsflash doesn't offer settings for its notifications, it offers settings for how often it looks for new articles, which in practice serves more or less the same purpose. It could maybe offer muting or delaying notifications for high traffic feeds, but that's definitely not a feature I'm going to request or work on. As is, I think Newsflash works perfectly as a background application.
### Podcasts 0.6.1
I expect Podcasts to fetch new podcasts in the background, and maybe to keep playing a podcast when its window is closed.
Here is how it matches my expected features set:
- [ ] automatically starts when I log in
- [ ] does so without showing a window
- [x] automatically starts doing the background work I expect from it
- [x] notifies me when relevant
- [x] lets me choose what I want to receive notifications for
- [ ] keeps running in the background when I close its last window
- [ ] reveals its window when I activate it from the apps menu, the dash, the background apps menu, a notification, a search result…
- [ ] has an entry in the background apps menu when it's running with no visible window
- [ ] lets me close it for good from the background apps menu
- [ ] offers settings to work as a foreground-only app, disabling all the previous features
Currently Podcasts doesn't work as a background app at all, though it would make sense for it to do.
### Shortwave 3.2.0
Shortwave could implement some features of a background application, e.g. it could start playing some radio in the background when I log in. It could also keep playing the radio after I close its window.
Here is how it matches my expected features set:
- [ ] automatically starts when I log in
- [ ] does so without showing a window
- [ ] automatically starts doing the background work I expect from it
- [x] notifies me when relevant
- [x] lets me choose what I want to receive notifications for
- [ ] keeps running in the background when I close its last window
- [ ] reveals its window when I activate it from the apps menu, the dash, the background apps menu, a notification, a search result…
- [ ] has an entry in the background apps menu when it's running with no visible window
- [ ] lets me close it for good from the background apps menu
- [ ] offers settings to work as a foreground-only app, disabling all the previous features
As-is, Shortwave isn't a background application at all, though it could become one, it's a matter of design to choose if it wants to support it fully, partially, or to keep not supporting it at all.
### Software 46.beta
I expect Software to run installations and updates in the background, and to notify me when long tasks are done of new updates are available if I decided to not have them be installed automatically.
I tested the version that came out-of-the-box with Fedora Silverblue, it's not flatpaked and I have no idea if it receives patches changing its behavior.
Here is how it matches my expected features set:
- [x] automatically starts when I log in
- [x] does so without showing a window
- [x] automatically starts doing the background work I expect from it
- [x] notifies me when relevant
- [x] lets me choose what I want to receive notifications for
- [x] keeps running in the background when I close its last window
- [x] reveals its window when I activate it from the apps menu, the dash, the background apps menu, a notification, a search result…
- [ ] has an entry in the background apps menu when it's running with no visible window
- [x] lets me close it for good from the background apps menu
- [x] offers settings to work as a foreground-only app, disabling all the previous features
Sadly as of now, Software isn't really usable flatpaked and the background apps menu relies on apps being sandboxed to work… or does it rely on a portal? I don't know. Regarless, right now this doesn't work. Bummer, it's the only missing feature.
### Tuba 0.6.3
I expect Tuba to fetch new messages in the background and to notify me when I receive some.
By default, Tuba works like a regular application, but it has the following switch setting:
- Background work: Receive notifications even when the app is closed
After switching it on, here is how it matches my expected features set:
- [ ] automatically starts when I log in
- [ ] does so without showing a window
- [x] automatically starts doing the background work I expect from it
- [x] notifies me when relevant
- [x] lets me choose what I want to receive notifications for
- [x] keeps running in the background when I close its last window
- [x] reveals its window when I activate it from the apps menu, the dash, the background apps menu, a notification, a search result…
- [x] has an entry in the background apps menu when it's running with no visible window
- [x] lets me close it for good from the background apps menu
- [x] offers settings to work as a foreground-only app, disabling all the previous features
Sadly Tuba doesn't offer starting in the background, otherwise it would have been a perfect background application.
## Conclusion
It's a bit of a mess for the moment, while Software can only work as a background app, other apps which would be perfect background apps don't implement any of the relevant features. Many offer options to enable some of these features, and the phrasing is all over the place.
Maybe there could be an initiative to offer guidelines for app devs to support working as a background apps, followed by an effort to help implementing them where relevant and possible. My goal isn't to force any design on any app devs, I just want us to discuss this issue together, and given all the ongoing work on shell designs and portals, I feel that it's the right time to start working on this.https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/app-icon-requests/-/issues/46Valuta2024-03-22T17:04:51ZIdeve CoreValuta| | |
|--------------|---------------|
| Project | https://github.com/ideveCore/Valuta |
| Description | **"Currency converter"** |
| Flathub page | https://flathub.org/apps/io.github.idevecore.CurrencyCo...| | |
|--------------|---------------|
| Project | https://github.com/ideveCore/Valuta |
| Description | **"Currency converter"** |
| Flathub page | https://flathub.org/apps/io.github.idevecore.CurrencyConverter |
| Upstream bug | https://github.com/ideveCore/Valuta/issues/32 |https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/settings-mockups/-/issues/69App settings: add autostart permission2024-03-14T14:32:56ZAllan DayApp settings: add autostart permissionCurrently it is possible for apps to set themselves to autostart using [the background portal](https://flatpak.github.io/xdg-desktop-portal/docs/doc-org.freedesktop.portal.Background.html). However, we don't expose this in the app settin...Currently it is possible for apps to set themselves to autostart using [the background portal](https://flatpak.github.io/xdg-desktop-portal/docs/doc-org.freedesktop.portal.Background.html). However, we don't expose this in the app settings, and it's not in [the mockups](https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/settings-mockups/-/blob/master/apps/apps-settings-apps.png?ref_type=heads) either.
An app can set itself to autostart and there is no way for a user to remove that permission.
The slight challenge here is that autostarting is mixed up with running in the background - an app can only autostart if it has permission to run in the background, and removing the app's permission to run in the background will simultaneously remove its ability to autostart.
This needs design.https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/app-mockups/-/issues/103Calendar: UI for errors and problem messages2024-03-12T16:29:41ZSam Hewittsnwh@gnome.orgCalendar: UI for errors and problem messagesTODO: address the problems highlighted in: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-calendar/-/issues/17 and related issuesTODO: address the problems highlighted in: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-calendar/-/issues/17 and related issuesSam Hewittsnwh@gnome.orgSam Hewittsnwh@gnome.orghttps://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/app-mockups/-/issues/102Calendar: Redesign of the UI for managing calendars2024-03-08T16:23:53ZSam Hewittsnwh@gnome.orgCalendar: Redesign of the UI for managing calendarsThe following mockup aims to address some of the issues discussed in https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-calendar/-/issues/1037 the biggest of which is to split the current single workflow into multiple for adding both local calendars a...The following mockup aims to address some of the issues discussed in https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-calendar/-/issues/1037 the biggest of which is to split the current single workflow into multiple for adding both local calendars and remote calendars.
![mockup for managing calendars](https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/app-mockups/-/raw/7023b102f626536c45934068bdfdada4aea93d93/calendar/manage-calendars.png)
Some other things it addresses or proposes
- replacing the switches in every row to toggle visibility with a coloured check at the start of each row to clean up the presentation
- feedback for progress while a calendar is being validated: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-calendar/-/issues/1176https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/whiteboards/-/issues/236Settings app: revive the Devices panel2024-03-26T10:05:58ZAutomeris naranjaSettings app: revive the Devices panelWith the goal of reducing the number of Settings panels (https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-control-center/-/issues/1090), perhaps the Devices panel could be brought back? It used to exist in older GNOME releases:
![Screenshot_from_20...With the goal of reducing the number of Settings panels (https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-control-center/-/issues/1090), perhaps the Devices panel could be brought back? It used to exist in older GNOME releases:
![Screenshot_from_2024-03-06_13-13-48](/uploads/43fe5f70c6c74650079a2cd648e041c2/Screenshot_from_2024-03-06_13-13-48.png){width=377}
Also, Windows 11 settings combines the Bluetooth and devices settings into a single "Bluetooth & Devices" panel, which I think it's a neat idea because Bluetooth is about devices too.https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/usability/-/issues/20Files user testing2024-03-06T20:33:44ZAllan DayFiles user testingThe Files user experience is under active development. There have been changes for GNOME 46, and more changes are planned for 47. As part of this, there are various aspects of the user experience that it would be helpful to have user tes...The Files user experience is under active development. There have been changes for GNOME 46, and more changes are planned for 47. As part of this, there are various aspects of the user experience that it would be helpful to have user testing data on, including:
* The bookmarking experience. Is bookmarking discoverable? How easy is it to add bookmarks?
* The new global search feature. Do people understand what it is and how it works?
* Do people tend to use copy/paste, or copy to/move to?
* How do people respond to the new sidebar designs. Do they prefer them? Are they easy to use?https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/usability/-/issues/19Interview a GNOME user2024-03-11T05:04:05ZAllan DayInterview a GNOME userThis is a short one time research exercise that is appropriate for a new contributor (or anyone else who wants to do a quick bit of research). The task is to find an existing GNOME user and conduct an interview with them about their expe...This is a short one time research exercise that is appropriate for a new contributor (or anyone else who wants to do a quick bit of research). The task is to find an existing GNOME user and conduct an interview with them about their experience using GNOME.
## Prerequisites
To complete this task, you should:
* Have some background knowledge about how to conduct interviews
* Be familiar with the GNOME user experience
* Write an interview plan ahead of time
* Keep notes during the interview (or make a recording)
* Write an analysis of the interview afterwards, to summarise the key findings
You will need to recruit a GNOME user to complete the interview with you. The interview can be conducted in person or remotely using video chat.
## Interview topics
Topics to cover during the interview:
* How long the participant has been using GNOME
* What they use it for
* What they like, what they don't like, what they'd like to change
* Any issues the person has had
It is often a good idea to have the interviewee demonstrate the things they are talking about, by showing your their GNOME desktop. You may want to take screenshots or pictures to keep a record of this.
## Reporting your findings
Once the interview is complete, you will need to share you research report. To do this, create a [new issue against this usability project](https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/usability/-/issues/new), and include the following in your issue report:
* A short summary of the interview:
* Details about who you interviewed
* Details about what distro and GNOME version they use
* Your key findings:
* Try and cover a range of positive and negative findings about GNOME.
* Negative findings should be actionable by GNOME designers and developers, such as by including specifics about design or usability issues.
* You findings should use the correct terminology for different parts of the GNOME user interface (as documented in the GNOME user help and human interface guidelines).
* Text files containing your interview script and notes, provided as attachmentshttps://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/usability/-/issues/18Heuristic evaluation of a GNOME app2024-03-08T16:17:16ZAllan DayHeuristic evaluation of a GNOME appThis is a short research exercise which is appropriate for someone who is new to GNOME user research (though it's a good thing for everyone to do!) To complete it, you will need a recent version of GNOME that you can use.
The task is fa...This is a short research exercise which is appropriate for someone who is new to GNOME user research (though it's a good thing for everyone to do!) To complete it, you will need a recent version of GNOME that you can use.
The task is fairly simple:
* Learn about how to do heuristic evaluation ([this is a good guide](https://www.nngroup.com/articles/how-to-conduct-a-heuristic-evaluation/))
* Pick a GNOME app and conduct an evaluation on it
* Write up your results
* [Create a new issue](https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/usability/-/issues/new) against this usability project, and post your results therehttps://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/usability/-/issues/17One time GNOME user test2024-03-28T09:53:57ZAllan DayOne time GNOME user testThis is a short research exercise which is good for a new contributor. To carry it out, you should be familiar with basic user testing procedures and concepts. You will also need to have a recent version of GNOME installed on a computer ...This is a short research exercise which is good for a new contributor. To carry it out, you should be familiar with basic user testing procedures and concepts. You will also need to have a recent version of GNOME installed on a computer that you can use. To complete the task, you should:
* Write a short interview script and set of tasks for the research participant to complete
* Find someone who has never used GNOME before, and recruit them to do a short user testing session with you
* Run through the script with your research participant:
* Get them to:
* use GNOME as if it is their own computer
* use the "talk aloud protocol" to describe what's happening
* run through a set of simple computing tasks (these should be in your interview script)
* Keep notes - what did they find to be easy? What was difficult? Was there anything they couldn't do?
* If possible, record the screen while running the testing session. If you can record audio at the same time, then that's even better.
* Remember to ask the participant some background questions. Who are they? What do they do? What's their computing experience and background?
## Reporting your findings
Once you've completed the testing session, write up you project and share them by creating a [new issue in this usability project](https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/usability/-/issues/new). This should include:
* A short summary of the user test:
* Details about the research participant
* Details about what distro and GNOME version were used for the test
* Your key findings:
* Try and cover a range of positive and negative findings about GNOME.
* Negative findings should be actionable by GNOME designers and developers, such as by including specifics about design or usability issues.
* You findings should use the correct terminology for different parts of the GNOME user interface (as documented in the GNOME user help and human interface guidelines).
* Text files containing your test script and notes, provided as attachmentshttps://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/whiteboards/-/issues/235Text Editor: make whitespace visible only when selected2024-03-01T07:04:39ZFranklin YuText Editor: make whitespace visible only when selectedThe current implementation allows users to configure which type of whitespace (leading v.s. trailing) to show (as mentioned in https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-text-editor/-/issues/525), which is nice already. However, VS Code offers...The current implementation allows users to configure which type of whitespace (leading v.s. trailing) to show (as mentioned in https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-text-editor/-/issues/525), which is nice already. However, VS Code offers an additional choice: “selection”. If I choose it, then VS Code makes whitespaces visible only when I select some text. It would be nice if Text Editor can support this mode as well.https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/whiteboards/-/issues/234Implement Font Settings2024-03-20T15:50:22ZClocksImplement Font Settings<!--
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Currently, to change the System fonts, one must use GNOME Tweaks.
This makes it difficult to change the font for those who prefer a specific font for their desktop, and for those who need to use fonts such as "Open Dyslexic" to be able to use their desktop effectively.
An option to reset the fonts to the default ones would also be appreciated in this case.
## Design Tasks
* [ ] Consider where best to place font settings? Appearance? Accessibility? If under Appearance, would a note under Accessibility be needed?
* [ ] Create mock-ups for settings.
* [ ] Communicate mock-ups to testers.
## Development Tasks
* [ ] Implement the UI schema.
* [ ] Produce the Controller Code.
* [ ] Provide testing examples to QA.
## QA Tasks
* [ ] Test that the new settings work under multiple use cases: Resetting, Swapping fonts quickly, Swapping fonts on low end devices, etc.
* [ ] Test user interaction with the new settings.
---
I do not know if writing UI tests are a QA task or a Development task?
---
Moved from: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-control-center/-/issues/2925https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/app-icon-requests/-/issues/42Mixxx app icon2024-02-27T11:45:46ZJakub SteinerMixxx app icon<!--
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getting a designer help you out:
- Provide the app on Flathub
- Strive to follow the GNOME Guidelines
- Co...<!--
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- Strive to follow the GNOME Guidelines
- Communicate your app brand ideas
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| | |
|--------------|---------------|
| Project | Mixxx |
| Description | **"Cross platform DJ app"** |
| Flathub page | https://flathub.org/apps/org.mixxx.Mixxx |
| Upstream bug | https://github.com/mixxxdj/mixxx/issues/12863 |https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/initiatives/-/issues/151Finish system monitor "restyle" concept2024-03-06T17:04:54ZAllan DayFinish system monitor "restyle" conceptWhen I worked on the new system monitor designs there were two concepts: one for [a complete redesign](https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/app-mockups/-/blob/master/system-monitor/system-monitor-concept.png?ref_type=heads), and one for...When I worked on the new system monitor designs there were two concepts: one for [a complete redesign](https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/app-mockups/-/blob/master/system-monitor/system-monitor-concept.png?ref_type=heads), and one for a [more limited restyle](https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/app-mockups/-/blob/master/system-monitor/system-monitor-restyle.png?ref_type=heads). [Discussion](https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-system-monitor/-/issues/278) focused on the redesign approach, and a design was developed that had buy in from the system monitor maintainer.
Someone [has now taken interest in the restyle concept](https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-system-monitor/-/merge_requests/120), which wasn't as developed and consequentially the system monitor maintainer has some issues with it.
To resolve this we need to develop restyle designs so that they are acceptable.https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/app-icon-requests/-/issues/41Videos tweaks2024-02-22T16:05:26ZJakub SteinerVideos tweaks[Endless has identified](https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/usability/-/issues/12) people have been decepted by Google's poor icon design into thinking Videos is a Software App Store. Investigate tweaks to the colorful play button to ...[Endless has identified](https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/usability/-/issues/12) people have been decepted by Google's poor icon design into thinking Videos is a Software App Store. Investigate tweaks to the colorful play button to make it more focused on video playback.
![image](/uploads/ed30a1a24126afa3275be20f385bff47/image.png)Jakub SteinerJakub Steiner