Opera GUI vision

Видение интерфейса Opera

This is my vision of Opera GUI changes (mostly about Unite).

Ниже представлено мое видение об изменениях в интерфейсе Opera (преимущественно касательно Unite).

Samples of this article make using HTML and CSS3 technologies (almost without images!) so I recommend to use modern browser with full rendering engine. Also Live Menu sample requires hover mouse possibility (or trackball, joystick, touchpad etc which emulate mouse on your device) to expand submenus.

Примеры в этой статье сделаны с использованием HTML и CSS3 технологий (почти без картинок!), так что я рекомендую использовать современный браузер с полноценным встроенным движком. Также Живой пример меню требует возможности наведения мыши на элементы (или трекбола, джойстика, тачпада и т.д., имитурующего мышь в вашем устройстве) для раскрытия подменю.

Main menu

Главное меню

Firstly, I ask to reorganize main menu. Below you will see an example of this menu. You can use a mouse pointer to expand the full menu tree (up to encoding settings).

Во-первых, требуется реорганизовать главное меню. Ниже вы увидите пример этого меню. Вы можете при помощи указателя раскрывать дерево этого меню (вплоть до настроек кодировки).

General changes:

Основные изменения:

• Icons not needed. Exception: submenu indicator, pages favicons, enabled radiobuttons and checkboxes
• As you can see some menus contain a few sections which separated by horizontal line. But some of sections plays a secondary role (for example, list of bookmarks or list of Unite applications plays a primary role and items to manage of this lists plays a secondary role). So the first primary item in the submenu, which contains secondary items, should be aligned to the parent item. If you can't understand just look at the positioning of bookmarks submenu (or some another) in the Live Menu sample. In addition, the secondary sections are slightly shaded
• Multiple structure changes (see below for details). Properly distribution of menu items, for example, allows to keeping only 13 items in root of main menu instead of 18, only 7 items instead of 18 in “Page” submenu. Also used a logical (not technical) concept of items distribution. For example, accessibility CSS features are separated from another CSS, which needed only for developers.

• Иконки не нужны. Исключения: индикатор наличия подменю, фавиконки страниц, активированные радио-кнопки и флажки
• Как вы можете видеть, некторыем меню содержат несколько секций, которые разделены горизонтальной линией. Но некоторые секции играют второстепенную роль (например, список закладок или список Unite-приложений играют первостепенную роль, а пункты для управления такими списками — второстепенную роль). Так что первый первостепенный пункт в подменю, который содержит второстепенные пункты, должен быть подогнан к родительскому пункту. Если вы не можете понять, просто взгляните на позиционирование подменю Закладок (или некоторых других) в живом примере меню. Кроме того, второстепенные секции слегка притенены
• Множественные изменения в структуре (подробности см. ниже). Правильное распределение пунктов меню, к примеру, позволяет оставить только 13 пунктов в корне главного меню вместо 18 и только 7 пунктов вместо 18 в подменю «Страница» (Page). Также применяется логическое распределение пунктов, а не техническое. Например, CSS, предназначенные для слабовидящих, отделены от CSS, интересных только разработчикам.

Advanced change list:

Расширенный список изменений:

• Extensions, Opera Unite and Widgets are moved to a new submenu: Add-ons
• Add-ons menu also contain Skins and Plug-ins items
• Opera Unite is renamed to Unite applications
• In Add-ons only Unite applications contain submenu because another kinds of add-ons does not provide for separately launch of some application (single exception is Widgets, but I didn't make submenu for it because list of widgets apps loading to slow in Opera since 10.50)
• So Extensions, Widgets, Skins and Plug-ins just opens Add-ons manager instead of submenu (details will be later)
• Unite applications contain list of all installed Unite applications and two secondary items: Manage Unite and Stop All Applications
• Synchronize Opera is moved to a new submenu: Data Tools
• Data tools also contain Delete Private Data, Import and Export and Backup Data items. Backup functionality does not exist yet, but if it will be implement it should be placed here. Import and Export does not contain submenu anymore because it should open special user-friendly import/export wizard
• Toolbars and Appearance are moved to a Settings submenu
• Toolbars is renamed to Show Toolbars; Appearance are renamed to Toolbar Settings (because it not contain skin settings anymore, it just contain link to Add-ons manager with pre-chosen Skins manager section)
• Show Menu Bar is moved to a Settings → Show Toolbars and renamed to Classic Menu bar
• Inside Help submenu: Opera Help and Support are merged to a Support item. Moreover, website supports pages should be merged too to one support site section. Added a Latest Changes item under Check for Updates and added a Report an Opera Bug item (under Report a Site Problem) which direct to the Bug Report Wizard
• Inside Settings submenu: Work Offline are moved to Settings → Quick Preferences. Also, as we mentioned before, Delete Private Data and Import and Export are moved to a Data Tools
• Inside Quick Settings submenu: added a Images item wich open a submenu to manage show images settings. Block pop-ups radiobuttons are moved to a new Pop-ups submenu. Added a new item: Enable Plug-ins Only on Demand checkbox. Also are make some items order moves
• Inside Bookmarks submenu and %bookmarks folder name% submenu: small order and name changes
• Inside Print submenu: Print Options are removed (all print options should be placed in special toolbar in print preview mode)
• Inside Tabs and Windows submenu: small order and name changes
• Inside Page submenu: Undo, Redo, Cut, Copy, Paste and Select all are moved to a new submenu: Text Edit. Zoom (with his submenu), Images (with his submenu), Fit to Width and Full Screen are moved to a new submenu: View. Encoding (with his submenus) are moved to Developer Tools submenu. Style (with his submenu) are renamed to Insert CSS and moved to Developer Tools submenu. Accessibility Layout, High Contrast (B/W) and High Contrast (W/B) from old Style submenu are moved to a new submenu Accessibility Features in View submenu. Copy to Note are removed. Also are make some items order and name changes.

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Unite and add-ons management

Unite и управление дополнениями

Now about Unite. Unite GUI should be cardinally redesigned. At the moment Unite has a too hard and non-obvious interface. Firstly, it should to refuse compulsory user registration (sign-up). Refuse it resolutely! Registration should be only optional feature for those who need link his Unite apps to his MyOpera profile and URL.

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Actually steps to launch Unite applications: Opera Menu → Opera Unite → ☑ Enable Opera Unite → demotivational button „I do not have an Account“ → boring fillin forms → computer choice → application choice → a bit pre-launch settings („What? Why i can't use password protect???“) → „I launched app but… HOW do I hide this huge side panel from my browser?“ (panic) → „Yeah! I found password protect options in the right side of the appliction“ → ????? → TIREDNESS…

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Steps to launch Unite applications should be: Opera Menu → Add-ons → Unite applications → application choice → a bit pre-launch settings → ????? → PROFIT!

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First steps you can see in the Live Menu sample (see above). Pre-launch settings dialog you can see below:

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After the user clicks „Launch“ Opera should create a new pinned tab with Unite application. Content of this pinned tab (page) see below:

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„Settings“ button expands pop-up (like a Speed Dial configure pop-up) with application settings (folder, password etc). „Try general Unite settings“ opens Add-ons manager with pre-chosen general Unite settings section. „Pause“ just disconnects application. „Stop (close)“ disconnects application and closes pinned application tab.

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Closing of the application tab always should to stop application. So if user will manually unpin app tab and try to close it Opera should show dialog: „Are you sure to stop this Unite application?“. This is because user can close tab of Unite application and forget that it continues work after few minutes. So all applications, which working now, should ever have a pinned tab.

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At last, we can focus on add-ons Manager. Opera Menu → Add-ons → Manage Add-ons OR Opera Menu → Add-ons → Unite Applications → Manage Unite (I do not think we need to explain what is „Stop all applications“, yes?). See result below:

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You can switch from „Add applications“ to „Manage applications“:

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As you can see Unite manager contain not only specific Unite apps settings but also general Unite settings (upload speed, port, MyOpera account connection etc…)

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Also add-ons manager contain a separate help tab which contain iframe with Opera support pages. It means that we put an Opera in your Opera so you can browse while you browse. I heard you like it, he-he. Another kinds of add-ons (extensions, widgets etc) have a similar structure. Thanks for attention.

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Author: Anton Diaz. Please contact me if you want to correct my bad English in this article.

Автор: Anton Diaz.