Meaning with the hardware button (not convenient, at least on the N800) or by some onscreen method I'm overlooking?

That's perfect! I like that better than user's choice.

As a representative of the Stylus Camp, this sounds good, too.

Here's another mockup showing the overflow option for the program bar, and the on the fly resize of the left and right bars based on how many icons are present in the system tray (right bar). In this setup, the system tray is designed to expand left (or contract right) as needed based on the number of icons in the system tray, just like the current one does. Now, obviously I repeated a few things in the system tray in this example, but it's done to show what would happen if you were to ever max out the full allowed width of the system tray, which is 65-70% of the screen. (a full 75% could be gained if slightly smaller icons were used) Once it hits that point, it will go no further. Any system tray icon that can't fit into the tray after that just won't be displayed.

The program bar (left bar) has an option to farm out any excess icons it can't display into a drop down menu, denoted by the blue down arrow. If you are anywhere other than the program menu or the desktop, the red "close" box will still be there. If you're in a program, as displayed in the example, it will appear to the right of the program overflow menu in it's normal place on the programs bar.

The "programs" icon is allowed to spill over into the overflow menu because it's a actually a module so clicking it will merely bring up the scrolling programs screen rather than a traditional menu, thus it doesn't need to be treated special like the remaining 3 items in the bar which are actually menus. Hence why I left them there. They *could* be farmed out, but A) that gets a bit messy, and B) why in God's name would you actually have that many systray items active at one time!?

Comments welcome as usual.

Well, I was thinking the hardware button, as that's what I use on my n810. But a more convenient button, or an on screen option could be added for the n800 users if the "full screen" button is difficult to use.

Everything in your Post #22 sounds right on to me.

I'm curious as to the Full-Screen button on the N810. On the N800, see the little buttons on the left, top edge of the unit -- three together and then one a little closer to the middle? The Full-Screen button is the middle one of the threesome, and you (OK, I) practically have to aim your (my) finger to press it and not get one of the buttons on either side of it.

Is it the same arrangement on the N810, or did Nokia get a little more ergonomic (and I'm just a klutz)?

Nope, on the N810, the full screen button is isolated. Much easier to click than N800.

So guys, what's your thoughts on this? Would you say the concept is ready to be handed over to an interested developer and turned into the real thing, or is there something else you might want as a feature or as part of the eyecandy? If it's ready to be turned into the real thing, I'm looking for developers interested in picking up this project, as my part of the work is done. (PM or Email me if you're interested) I really wish I could program interfaces, but alas, since I cannot, I do what little I can, which is UI concepting and design.

Well, Lord Raiden, you know you can't get the final sign-off from me until there's an onscreen method for hiding/unhiding the bars (or going full-screen/windowed-screen).

Also, I came up with an additional idea that fits your overall model and would be very cool/useful ...

We could call the inspiration for this "So many applets, so little screenspace."

My desktop is already crowded with just Internet Search, OMWeather, Internet Radio, FM Radio, and Cairo Clock. Then I see something I like such as the desktop RSS Feed Reader, or Countdown Home Plugin, or other stuff I see on the "Show off your screenshots" thread. But there just isn't enough room! And I don't want to keep checking/unchecking in Select applets ...

So, how about if your GUI offered not just screens of Program Icons but could be toggled to offer whole screens of applets (that is, alternative home screens) that, like your Program Icons, could be paged through with those right- and left-pointing triangles?

(When you -- that is, I -- contribute neither coding nor graphic mock-ups, this is pretty easy! )

Can I just request a mock-version with the panel on the side. The top panel is nice, but for screen real estate issues, the side is better. Especially because, as previously mentioned you can make icons for programs and system tray go into a menu like formations.

If not, that's okay, but I thought it couldn't hurt to ask at least

GeraldKo: So in other words, multiple desktops basically. Yeah, that wouldn't be a problem, since that's already a native feature of X. The developers would simply need to implement it in a really easy to use manner.

Neatojones: The goal of this design is to get rid of the sidebar, since we're after horizontal realestate, rather than vertical. Although, I'm sure an adaptation of the design could be made for those wanting more vertical over horizontal.

Would it be hard to make it movable... So, one could choose to put it on the side or on top?