Comment 5 for bug 670403

> Having a separate pane in USC for draggable launchers was one of the
> options I evaluated (#6 in
> <https://wiki.ubuntu.com/SoftwareCenter/LaunchingApplications>). The
> biggest of its disadvantages turned out to be that it wouldn't actually
> solve the problem.

Did you evaluate it with user testing, or just thought experiment?
Either is valid, I'd just like to know. Also, if it was through user
testing, I'd be interested in the experience that was presented in the test.

> (1) Realizing that the "recently installed" pane
> existed, (2) navigating to it, and (3) dragging the application to the
> launcher would be three non-obvious steps that, combined, would make
> people unlikely to benefit from it.

Ah, I think I explained what I was asking for poorly.

I would expect the pane to open *automatically* when software is being
installed, and to have it stay there until either (a) the user dismisses
it, or (b) USC is closed.

The example I have in mind is the pane which both Chrome and Firefox add
to the browser window after you enter a password. It doesn't need to be
discovered - the browser presents it when its appropriate. You can
consciously dismiss it.

For folks who miss the opportunity, we'll put these apps in the Dash
Apps lens home page.

> And anything we could do to make the
> steps obvious enough would be more annoying (e.g. opening the pane
> automatically) and/or stodgy (e.g. displaying text telling people to
> drag and drop) than just hoisting the application to the launcher. That
> the hoisting solution adds zero extra elements to the interface doesn't
> by itself mean that it's the perfect solution, but it sure is a hint.

It breaks the sense of personal control of the launcher that is really
important to the relationship we want users to have with it.

> As I mentioned in the spec, we could have a “View” > “Newly Installed
> Applications in Launcher” menu item, on by default -- so that people who
> frequently install applications, and have become familiar with where
> else to find them, can "graduate" from the automatic behavior.

I don't understand why that entry makes sense in the "View" menu? It
feels more like a preference - "[ ] Add newly installed applications to
the launcher automatically". And in any event, for clarity, I'm asking
that we not have any auto-install process in 11.04.

Mark