Difference between revisions of "OpenOffice.org Dashboard Concept"
From Apache OpenOffice Wiki
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| − | The Welcome Screen introduced in OOo 3.0 can be extended to provide | + | The Welcome Screen/Start Center introduced in OOo 3.0 can be extended to provide additional important user functionality. At the same time, it can be designed and architected in a modular way that will make OOo feel much more "web2.0" and modern to our users. I propose renaming it the "OpenOffice.org Dashboard" to indicate how much it has been expanded. |
I have developed the mockup shown below with the following design goals in mind: | I have developed the mockup shown below with the following design goals in mind: | ||
| − | # Feels more like a web browser, which everyone is comfortable with, making adoption of OOo | + | # Feels more like a web browser, which everyone is comfortable with, making adoption of OOo easier for new users who may already be comfortable with Firefox. |
# Local and web search: get from Google. Get paid for it, like Firefox does. | # Local and web search: get from Google. Get paid for it, like Firefox does. | ||
| − | # Tabs are not | + | # Tabs are not required for this Dashboard, but without them it would be more difficult to return to a persistent Dashboard (we could put a button in a toolbar, and a link under the Tools menu, of course). But, we should strongly consider tabs anyway. |
| − | ## It would be fine to launch the Dashboard as an OOo Extension without building tabs into OOo. Then we'd need a link in a toolbar and from a menu for persistent Dashboard access. | + | ## It would be fine to launch the Dashboard as an OOo Extension without building tabs into OOo. Then we'd need a link in a toolbar and from a menu for persistent Dashboard access. (But the Extension API may not support it.) |
| − | # The central area of the page lets users add their own Google Gadgets, as Spicebird ([http://www.spicebird.com/content/google-applets-spicebird http://www.spicebird.com/content/google-applets-spicebird]) has pioneered. We should preload several good ones, such as Google Chat, a calendar and a news feed or two (including one pointing to our major news announcements). | + | # (Eliminated for now: The central area of the page lets users add their own Google Gadgets, as Spicebird ([http://www.spicebird.com/content/google-applets-spicebird http://www.spicebird.com/content/google-applets-spicebird]) has pioneered. We should preload several good ones, such as Google Chat, a calendar and a news feed or two (including one pointing to our major news announcements).) |
| − | + | # It should be possible to write OOo extensions that place new widgets in the central area. If the development process is made easy enough, it could increase the number of people writing OOo Extensions. Installation from a user perspective should be as simple as possible, to encourage users to add new widgets. | |
# Inspired by [http://www.google.com/chrome Google Chrome] and [http://www.spicebird.com/ Spicebird], [http://kde.org/ KDE]'s social desktop ideas, and the [http://www.apple.com/itunes/whatis/ iTunes Music Store] page layout. | # Inspired by [http://www.google.com/chrome Google Chrome] and [http://www.spicebird.com/ Spicebird], [http://kde.org/ KDE]'s social desktop ideas, and the [http://www.apple.com/itunes/whatis/ iTunes Music Store] page layout. | ||
| − | [[Image: | + | [[Image:Dashboard_Concept_20090201.png]] |
== Earlier Design Mockups == | == Earlier Design Mockups == | ||
| + | |||
| + | === January 2009 Second Draft === | ||
| + | [[Image:OOo-Dashboard-Concept2009-01-02.png]] | ||
=== December 2008 First Draft === | === December 2008 First Draft === | ||
[[Image:OOoDash1.png]] | [[Image:OOoDash1.png]] | ||
Revision as of 03:42, 3 February 2009
The Welcome Screen/Start Center introduced in OOo 3.0 can be extended to provide additional important user functionality. At the same time, it can be designed and architected in a modular way that will make OOo feel much more "web2.0" and modern to our users. I propose renaming it the "OpenOffice.org Dashboard" to indicate how much it has been expanded.
I have developed the mockup shown below with the following design goals in mind:
- Feels more like a web browser, which everyone is comfortable with, making adoption of OOo easier for new users who may already be comfortable with Firefox.
- Local and web search: get from Google. Get paid for it, like Firefox does.
- Tabs are not required for this Dashboard, but without them it would be more difficult to return to a persistent Dashboard (we could put a button in a toolbar, and a link under the Tools menu, of course). But, we should strongly consider tabs anyway.
- It would be fine to launch the Dashboard as an OOo Extension without building tabs into OOo. Then we'd need a link in a toolbar and from a menu for persistent Dashboard access. (But the Extension API may not support it.)
- (Eliminated for now: The central area of the page lets users add their own Google Gadgets, as Spicebird (http://www.spicebird.com/content/google-applets-spicebird) has pioneered. We should preload several good ones, such as Google Chat, a calendar and a news feed or two (including one pointing to our major news announcements).)
- It should be possible to write OOo extensions that place new widgets in the central area. If the development process is made easy enough, it could increase the number of people writing OOo Extensions. Installation from a user perspective should be as simple as possible, to encourage users to add new widgets.
- Inspired by Google Chrome and Spicebird, KDE's social desktop ideas, and the iTunes Music Store page layout.
Earlier Design Mockups
January 2009 Second Draft
December 2008 First Draft
