Increase number of desktops? More than four possible?
 

So I was thinking last night, I seem to recall seeing on a video at some point there was a preferences/settings screen which someone flipped through and there was a discreet setting for changing the number of desktops from 1-4. It's possible I dreamed this or made it up, but that's fairly irrelevant since it's just to serve as background information :D

I'm figuring that somewhere in the fremantle code, there must be a setting that tells the system how many desktops to display. Surely we could just change this and add as many desktops as we want? Say, another 4... or 8.. or 16... :rolleyes:

Seriously though. That could be really useful. I can see myself running out of screen real estate pretty quickly. Another 4 desktops would be A++.

Re: Adding More Panorama Desktops
 

This might sound like a good idea -- and I thought about it after I started playing with the N900 myself -- but even with four desktops, one can begin to get confused.

There really shouldn't need to be a way to add more desktops, as applications are their own desktops in a sense. So, you can open up several apps and switch back and forth between all of them via the multitask button. Then you can go to the desktop and flip between 1-4 of them...

Once you start adding more, you are really impeding the speed of operations by having to find, then select what you want.

Imho, of course.

Tim

Re: Adding More Panorama Desktops
 

Rather than desktop..how about different OS for each desktop. You got iPHONE desktop and then Adroid and Palm pre. All in different desktop?

Re: Adding More Panorama Desktops
 

Ahh yes. Good point. I hadn't thought of that.

Re: Adding More Panorama Desktops
 

Hmm, I don't know, I find 4 virtual desktops on GNOME both enough and almost confusing already. And those are 2x2 grid instead of 1x4 grid. In the 1x4 grid of Maemo/Panorama the desktop of preference is always max 2 swipes away. However if you'd want say 6 virtual desktops a cube model might be an option. In such case, it is also max 2 swipes away, and the 3D model helps to envision people what is where. Except such costs quite some time to implement, and one can swipe the wrong way which is not possible with 1x4 grid.

Re: Adding More Panorama Desktops
 

True, but we should be able to have more than 4 if WE want them, not what someone deems we need. What is it on the iPhone, you can have like 11-12?

Re: Adding More Panorama Desktops
 

i'd rather like it to limit it to 3 screens that wrap around, instead of adding more

Re: Adding More Panorama Desktops
 

I was under the impression that the 4 desktops wrap around so you can keep scrolling sideways forever. Did I imagine this or is this true (if you can't, then that's number one on the fix list for me as far as I'm concerned) ?

I think it would be neat to be able to scroll up and down aswell as left and right, although that'd be a logistical nightmare. And honestly, I can't think of any good reason other than it being pretty cool.

Re: Adding More Panorama Desktops
 

Anyhow, regardless of whether or not we should or shouldn't, or how crazy and idea it is.. we should theoretically be able to add more desktops. I can't imagine this is coded in any more than in a config file somewhere?

Anyone have any insights?

Re: Adding More Panorama Desktops
 

Not necessarily. It wouldn't need to represent any real object. I would personally like a system where you always swipe in a certain direction to get to a specific desktop, no matter which one you're on. Just always swipe left for desktop A and always swipe down for desktop D etc. 4 desktops would never need two swipes.

The panoramic desktop looks much more cool, though :D

Re: Adding More Panorama Desktops
 

I'm just going to go ahead and say it would be awesome if we could enable this ( http://betalabs.nokia.com/betas/view...-photo-browser ) for the desktops :D

Re: Adding More Panorama Desktops
 

I'm pretty sure you can do that, by only ticking three out of the four screens in the preferences.

Regarding extending to more screens, I believe qgil said the desktop would be open source, so it could presumably be extended by the community. There are probably other limits you would need to tweak, such as the total number of widgets allowed on the desktops.

Re: Adding More Panorama Desktops
 

This is true. The desktops "loop."

Tim

Re: Adding More Panorama Desktops
 

Would it be possible to be able to tag one of them as your primary, and have some sort of hardware button shortcut to get back? Or, to fix it so that doesnt endlessly loop, making it like the iphones desktop setup?

Re: Adding More Panorama Desktops
 

You guys need to try it out before making all of these suggestions! :D

Tim

Re: Adding More Panorama Desktops
 

The whole point of multiple desktops is to have multiple user space where you can add shortcuts, widgets etc.
Why have a primary desktop ?

Instead its better to be able to recall the desktop with a keyboard shortcut - say Fn+Ctrl+1 for desktop 1 and so on ...
But seriously with 4 desktops, it isnt that difficult to scroll anyways (in case the key shortcut is missing feature for now).

Re: Adding More Panorama Desktops
 

Having more is also a performance issue. Anyways, as most people here say, even 4 is plenty. The more you have, the longer it will get to to get to any desktop (because it's 1d navigation), and the more you need to remember.

But yes, there is a setting for 1-4.

Re: Adding More Panorama Desktops
 

And ponies! There has to be some ponies!

Re: Adding More Panorama Desktops
 

Ummm. More like None. It has "unlimited"(?) screens for your installed applications, but those aren't virtual Desktops.

Re: Adding More Panorama Desktops
 

..but in Maemo 6 with OMAP4 we see cube right :o ;)

Great feature though since this allows comfortable full screen usage.

Re: Adding More Panorama Desktops
 

On my computer, there's a widget on one corner of my screen that displays all of my virtual desktops (I have 5), highlights the active one, and lets me click on any desktop to jump to it. Does such a widget exist for Maemo?

Re: Adding More Panorama Desktops
 

... even if it's 2D (which I assume) - hey! where's the cube! linux always has a 3D cube! :D

Re: Adding More Panorama Desktops
 

Currently no.

Hartti

Re: Adding More Panorama Desktops
 

Hmm I'd like to see a:
2x4 desktop setup myself.

Why shouldn't it be possible?

Roll up/down/left/right... hell even something unusual like

==
==|==|==
==

Could be doable. So you have the center one for whatever you want and the rest for aps you want there. Could probaly even do scrolling between them in a nice circle :)

Allowing more than 4 desktops?
 

Mine is full already..
Is this possible with Fremantle?

Re: Allowing more than 4 desktops
 

Why not create a brainstorm? I'm sure theres others who want more also.

Re: Allowing more than 4 desktops
 

would be nice to have 8 virtual desktops :D like on Ubuntu, Fedora, Yellow Dog Linux :D

Re: Allowing more than 4 desktops
 

There was a discussion about this somewhere, I recall its hildon-home limitation, and backgrounds/theming problems being reasoning. I wouldn't be surprised if fixed eventually, many of us including me would like to see more desktops.

Re: Allowing more than 4 desktops
 

I agree, personally I would just need one or 2 more, but if I can get 8 i'll take that as well :D

Re: Allowing more than 4 desktops?
 

Well, think about it. If you have 8 desktops what happens with a main advantage of your current desktops (and that is your personal shortcuts maximum two swipes away from you)? Your shortcuts are going to be 1-2-3-4 swipes from you, and that equals going to menu and choosing it in normal way. ;)

Re: Allowing more than 4 desktops?
 

Yes, that's true.

Or then you would need to do like the "Google Phone", i.e. Android 2.1, have a button to show thumbnails of all the home screens. With this you could switch between any of those screens with two clicks.

Re: Allowing more than 4 desktops?
 

Exactly. I already noticed this with 4 desktops and always used the menu. Now with 3 it makes more sense. Thought when we start getting more quality widgets that show what you need or you can enter to some function faster more desktops make more sense.

If it's up to me there can be option for 16 desktops as long as we can adjust how many is in use.

Re: Allowing more than 4 desktops?
 

A programme like Personal Menu with just one icon and a popup list of executable shortcuts on the same screen would be perfect as the icons don't have to be that big.

Re: Allowing more than 4 desktops?
 

alternatvely you could have 9 desktops and use both horizontal and vertical scrolling. then any desktop would only be 2 steps away ?

Re: Allowing more than 4 desktops?
 

*included in Maemo 6/harmattan* :)

Re: Allowing more than 4 desktops?
 

Actually it would max at 3 steps. For example: from middle top row to corner bottom row or vice versa... but enough nitpicking ;-)

Personally I'd think that this would not be a very useable solution. Hard to describe.... it would "feel" more complicated to search for a specific screen vertically and horizontally... something along the line of: "Heaven where am I know? top row? middle row?"
I think that it is more practical only to move in one direction in an endless loop.

Sorry if this reads a little strange but english is not my first language und expressing vague feelings or concepts is a little hard on me in english.

Regards,
Glasswalker

Re: Allowing more than 4 desktops?
 

The current way allows to loop from extreme left to extreme right by trying to go 1 more step left (and vice versa).
The vertical and horizontal arrangement should allow looping too, making top-left to bottom-right doable in 2 steps (left, up).

However I agree with you, as cool as 2D would be, I think that would challenge an important part of the basic users. If there's only one dimension to browse through, the dumbest users should eventually find the desktop they're looking for. With a 2D arrangement, that could become problematic.

A solution would be to have it as an option, maybe even let the user choose the number of dimensions. Accelerometer to browse forward/backward, anyone ? a 3x3x3 desktop arrangement would allow 27 desktops each 3 steps away from each other, probably more than enough for the basic geek.

I would love to browse through a N-dimensional arrangement too, swipe up/down for dimension 1, left/right for dimension 2, push/pull the n900 for dimension 3, move the n900 left/right/up/down for 2 more dimensions, pan on 3 axis to add 3 more dimensions, maybe even more. I think I would totally be lost after dimension 4, but I know some people would have no problem with that.
That would probably be more of a cool proof of concept than a really useful tool though.
Maybe I could use some sleep, too...

Re: Allowing more than 4 desktops?
 

Only activated two Desktops so far... Two on reserve. Or don't need them at the moment.

Re: Allowing more than 4 desktops?
 

Heh - is there anything else headed to Fremantle? Geez - sorry, but this is getting old quickly for a 1-month old device that is not complete and still isn't fully shipped.

Having ranted on the usual Harmattan response, I have 5 desktops on the Cliq in portrait mode and it is not full. How can I do that with much lower resolution and so many more apps? Lots of ways.

Oh, before I go on, maybe I haven't found it, but the equivalent of Quicksilver on OS X (Command + Space - or whatever combo) pops up a box that allows you to start typing the name of the app, it pops up before you're done and learns what you use most to display first and press enter to launch. Now you just need 1 or 2 desktops.

1) Don't need to put contacts on desktop for easy dial - mark them as favorite. If we could do that in Fremantle, that would spare a lot of real estate (I have 8 I call enough and want easy access that I had to place them on 1 of my desktops). Don't tell me I should use the log either - that's full of other incoming/outgoing calls - idea is a quick, direct access. Or, make those contact shortcuts half the size or make a widget.

2) Where can we have the N900 go back to the "main" desktop? I haven't figured it out and is something I've been used to doing with a simple key press on [you name the device]. Swipe, swipe, swipe, oh shott, I missed it, swipe, swipe...

3) Give us the *option* of portrait mode. Much easier and more convenient to swipe with one hand so whether 4 or 20 desktops, it's easier to get to them.

4) I agree with Android 2.1 comment - that should be done as well.

5) More desktops == more resources/memory so that should be user definable. I don't need more than 4 with a few other simple changes like not having to plaster very large contact shortcuts all over. More reliable rotate to activate phone and give us a 'favorites' or 'speed dial' functionality - that frees up another shortcut to get to the phone.

6) Better contact integration within the phone - get rid of having to press a button, wait a few seconds for contacts to pop up, go through hundreds via scrolling/selecting letters on side OR using keyboard to type so wait for landscape (again), type, select contact, then select one of their numbers. Use tabs: one all contacts, one favorites OR make contacts default rather than phone log (kinda useless - I normally want to see call times if I look at the log, but don't need it as often as contacts). And allow contact editing from the contacts in phone (nice to have more than one way to do this) - this drops another shortcut on the desktop.

7) Smaller shortcuts in general. About 1/2 the size, with a different way to delete them than clicking the 'x', which I constantly already do accidentally.

I know I got a bit off base and I could go on a bit, but just some thoughts that I know would make 4 desktops just fine for me w/out needing the additional resources more would require. The option would be nice, but I can think of quite a few things I'd rather see sooner (you just heard of some of them :-)

Think Open Home on Android if you want more desktops with more customization options. Seems that could be done quicker than waiting for Maemo 8 or 9 :-)

Having more than 4 desktops?
 

Is it possible to have more than 4 desktops for the N900?

I can't figure out any hardware nor software constraints that stopping this.