Just an idea (dock mockup)

Sorry for the horrible compression. I blame the picasa image uploader.

[img]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Dkykvo79k2s/STYKaA6rZLI/AAAAAAAAABA/yYp3Z5fZuWw/dockmock.jpg[/img] [img]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Dkykvo79k2s/STYKegCNiSI/AAAAAAAAABQ/GHPio1ZE2Qo/dockmock2.jpg[/img]

I'm just sharing an odd idea that I had. I don't expect anything from this to be adopted into anything.

The basic idea:

• The top toolbar is still there (I was just lazy)
• The "start" menu is displayed by default right over the desktop
• The arrows represent the direction that the OSX style dock opens up in (with a smooth animation)
• On the right, though I did not put this in would be a similar button for changing workspaces.
• When Windows are open, they completely cover the button but upon pressing the start menu button, both buttons appear over top of the windows (transparency and blur still apply)

I focused more on the visual aspect, but the idea is to have a dock that is in-obtrusive, and yet extremely easy to access when needed, along with a workspace switcher (though not visible) that matches it.

Thoughts? (if you want to mess with it, I can supply the svg file.)

I don't see any images.

Merk42 said: I don't see any images.

It autohides on default :biggrin:

Sorry, I'll transfer them to imageshack when I get home.

Could you use http://www.imagehost.org/? Imageshack is broken for me lately and it's slooow..

Well the forums do say "Note: All screenshots or images should be posted in the gallery." Unfortunately that note doesn't link to a FAQ on how to actually *do* it.

Before I even see the image, I think Apple patented the dock as a UI element, so if it's close to that you may get into legal trouble (as well as the usual "oh hey copying OS X" comments)

Merk42 said: Well the forums do say

"Note: All screenshots or images should be posted in the gallery." Unfortunately that note doesn't link to a FAQ on how to actually *do* it.

Before I even see the image, I think Apple patented the dock as a UI element, so if it's close to that you may get into legal trouble (as well as the usual "oh hey copying OS X" comments)

I hate it when people say that apple patented the dock like it's now illegal to create clones...well as far as i know software patents are still not allowed in the EU:D

kamitsukai said: I hate it when people say that apple patented the dock like it's now illegal to create clones...well as far as i know software patents are still not allowed in the EU:D

It applies only to the US, but do we want to get rid of support for a whole nation just for a piece of eye candy (it would be illegal to use Ubuntu in the US if it had a dock)?

If it was illegal to have a dock on any other operating system than OS X, then it would be illegal to use the Page Up and Page Down keys on any other operating system but Windows, considering Microsoft owns the patent to those two keys.

Giant Speck said: ...it would be illegal to use the Page Up and Page Down keys on any other operating system but Windows, considering Microsoft owns the patent to those two keys.

Except they don't, it just sounds like they patented them. They patented something slightly different.

Stlll no images....