I want to talk about one of the most important parts of lightning launcher: the first layout (the one that is show…
Why it’s important? Because is the first impression that the app give to a new user…and sorry, it can improve a lot.
It’s more or less the same as in the past, and it doesn’t show the power of LL (sorry pierre).
Not sure if you’ll agree, but I think that it need to be redone. It need to be as simple as possible, with only basic apps, but also it need to show “hey, I’m lightning launcher, fast and customizable”
It’s difficult…but we are a community; so my suggestion, if pierre accepts it, is to make a contest (the rules will need to be defined). Then, the better layout (with pierre’s permission) will substitute the actual one. Another possibility is to have two or three styles (stock-style, vertical-style, something-style) and let the user choose one of them.
I don’t know how much space it takes into the apk, I don’t want to increase it a lot, but maybe a bit worth it.
Remember, pierre needs to agree.
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I agree very much so, it was the bb template that intrigued me in the beginning and that’s what grabbed my attention most of all, but you know how it goes one is never happy and tries to create something more but in the end it does deviate from the Actual LL experience. Fast and simple only thing is I would like to get the most out of my amoled screen as possible after all that is why I bought the phone ~(≧v≦)~
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I agree with your suggestion! I think it’s a great idea. Moreover, the first thing we did was remove all :). But Pierre Hébert is a great developer, but perhaps not a great artist 🙂
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Yes Fabrice Fournier, but a new user won’t remove it (I didn’t do it), instead will try to reproduce the theme adding her own items, because what you see is what you think is possible to make (then they’ll go to settings, but that’s step 2)
I’m not talking about a complex layout, just a basic one but a bit different from other launchers.
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i agree, too.
pierre has posted a “simple” setup with folders,
this should be intergrated or something similar.
…
or totally different 😉
so many possibilities …
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+100 thumbs up!
Current default desktop is SOOOOO poor in both design and feature advertisement that an appealing power to NEW users who just happen to install and taste a new launcher, looks very very weak.
Nearly none of us in this communiy might use default one, right? So default design or so may be not our complaints. BUT it will be totally different story for NEW(or pre) users. They choose and use a launcher not just by fastness, but by design/theme/features(I think most of normal users do by design)
SO TrianguloY ‘s opinion is very important for Pierre Hébert to be more profitable programmer 🙂
If LL focuses most of works to very-powerful-features, and keeps current-level-design, I bet LL will be some(like us) GEEK’s toy, not our mother-father-kids-ladies-gentlemen’s launcher.
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Thank you all. Of course Pierre has the final decision 😉
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I definitely 1000% agree with you all (the extra zero is not a typo). There isn’t a single day where I don’t think at replacing this default layout.
But every time I try to change it, I miserably fails at making something better. I am no artist, no doubt about that. I proudly qualify for the worst designer ever contest, lol 🙂
This default layout is a bit special though, as it must complies with a few requirements:
– it cannot ship with a wallpaper image (probably too big), but… it is possible to generate some abstract wallpaper from code. I think the wallpaper is critical to get a nice and coherent default layout. 1kb of code is enough to make something great. (someone remember 4k demos?)
– more generally I would like to limit the amount of extra data. This is ok to add a few kilobytes but not one megabyte.
– the layout can only use apps and icons on the device: no phone on tablet, email, settings, camera app depends on the manufacturer or the android version, some don’t have google apps, etc, etc. This can be worked around with a few tricks : the phone and sms apps could be put on the right page if found and not pinned, so that it does not hurt if they are not available. The varying apps (email, settings, camera, browser and gallery mainly) can be checked upon install and the right one selected, but I need to find internal app names for as most devices as possible (something like that : http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4115649/listing-of-manufacturers-clock-alarm-package-and-class-name-please-add)
– the default layout need to be a grid, and maybe no too big, perhaps no more than 5×5. The goal is to adjust to as many devices as possible, from QVGA to full HD, either in portrait and landscape. But… this is possible to generate variations based on the current device profile.
– the default layout can’t rely on widgets
Well, afterall, there is nothing that can’t be done, and updating this old and poor layout is a welcome challenge! I really like the contest idea from +TrianguloY, thank you 🙂 That seems to me like a good way to start.
(and sorry for the long post!)
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What about a new community section? Only to allow layouts for the contest (and your post with the rules, just copy/paste your last message)
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I was thinking at creating an event describing the contest, and layouts could be published in this new section. Or is an event inappropriate for this ?
I guess that the contest need to be opened for some time (1 week, more ?) then members can vote for their preferred them.
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As a brand new user, a few days to a week only… I was originally drawn by the ‘light weight and fast’ testimony I saw on a web review. Once installed, I’ve pretty much kept the main page, added a few icons and a couple of widgets. Then I have a couple of pages of different apps. I know the sky is the limit from seeing other designs, but my point I guess is that what you give as default becomes ‘the’ default for quite a while. To go from niche to taking over the world this is a very important contest indeed, I’d say! 🙂
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Pierre Hébert, an event is a good option.
A week is good, then another week to vote. (2 weeks….Christmas present 😀 )
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I will shorten the time to vote to 3/4 days, so that I have the time to implement it for Christmas 😉
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I agree, but let me add a caveat to the entire experience. I think the point should be to avoid complexity in the design, but to add elements to the design that highlights the power of LL. The last thing you want to do is to overwhelm someone who is new to the idea of customization.
One thing I’ve mentioned time and again is the need to have things documented better (with screen caps and videos). I am a visual learner and I know I haven’t tapped into maybe 1/4th of the capabilities of LL because I don’t want to brick my device trying to build the best desktop experience for myself, so my level of exploration of LL is limited. This community is great to get ideas and clarifications, but sometimes an idea can be fleeting if there is no immediate response.
Pierre Hébert is there a way to provide a dialog on first launch that would prompt the user to start with a basic layout (the stock layout of the app) and an advanced layout – which ties into the community’s input for a more complex design? Also, you could add an option within LL to apply the advanced layout to a desktop at a later date for people to be able to start with the basic layout and then switch later when they are more comfortable with the app. Just food for thought. Not sure how tough that would be to build into the app.
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That’s so interesting ! I’try to contest if i can.
We should also indicated the rules of the contest : what limits to that layout ? For example as Pierre said, there can be ni widget (like our beloved zw) as future users may not have installed the corresponding apps. Also it should me in my opinion a template that may adapt to différent size of screens (phones, médium tabs, large tabs). And also be very light on storage (no big images) etc …
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Jacob Nyhart I think that a bit of eye candy is a requirement, not an option. I also agree that this layout should highlight some specific feature, but IMHO this only comes as a second requirement. The current layout is both ugly and simplistic.
Having the choice at startup between a simple and an advanced setup would be nice. If it can be done, then I will do it.
Regarding the documentation, I am afraid that it takes enormous time, and the number of readers is actually very… low ! In the end, this is important, but not as critical as the first impression.
Eric Le Bourvellec I am preparing a post to explain that 😉
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Maybe we can add some templates to the play store with a LL folder sidebar for example, so new people can learn from it and play around with it.
(hope my english isn’t horrible)
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idea: after installation LL to do some task applications. Something … Do you have browser? Please choose … or skip, Do you have dialpad? Please choose … or skip, etc.
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I don’t think I’ll be submitting anything (my current idea is weird and I’m not artistic), but I’m curious if using 9patch would be acceptable for the contest.
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Jacob Nyhart You cant brick your phone with LL so no worry’s there build the best desktop experience you can. Its things you have to flash in recovery what are likely to brick your phone eg.Kernels,Custom ROMS. Home Launchers are safe.
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would it be possible to get the stock lightning launcher artwork? icons, logo(s), etc…
maybe even in layered format?
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Whooo, there area lot of good questions in this thread !
The idea of linking themes directly is a good idea, but these themes have to be selected first.
The wizard is a good idea, but I would prefer that the app is immediately ready. In theory most questions can (or should) be answered automatically.
Nine patches are perfectly acceptable, and maybe recommended, as long as they do not eat megabytes.
The stock icons are available here http://www.pierrox.net/cmsms/uploads/files/android/applications/Lightning%20Launcher/icons.svg. I use Inkscape to do icons. Basically there is a background (flat or gradient) and a list of layers to show/hide. Most are made of a 2px white line with a shadow.
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I think the default home page theme is important, but how ever great it may be, people are different, and like different styles, and I think the biggest feat of LL is in diversity. (ios looks like ios, go looks like go) LL can look like whatever the heck you want! And I think that would be hard to showcase from any 1 theme. So I was thinking, maybe a select number of runners up could be used in a new showoff(not instructional) presentation video linked from the play store page? This could of course be something to do later down the line, unrelated to the homepage replacement. (pardon my english)
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Terje Antonsen I was thinking exactly the same thing, and give the video a kick ass thumbnail to make people want to click it,because no one wants to read app descriptions they just hit install,but everyone looks at screenshots and who doesn’t like video, Tbh a YouTube video is what inspired me to give this launcher another go.
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Terje Antonsen I was thinking exactly the same thing, and give the video a kick ass thumbnail to make people want to click it,because no one wants to read app descriptions they just hit install,but everyone looks at screenshots and who doesn’t like video, Tbh a YouTube video is what inspired me to give this launcher another go.
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If you are the type of person who like to investigate, the default layout will not stop you to choose if you like or not the launcher, you’ll go to settings and then you’ll realize how powerful it is.
If you are the type of person who want a light launcher, the default layout will make you made the decision. That’s the reason why it’s important.
About the video…there is one now in the store, too old (I think it need to be redone with new characteristics) but good. Maybe the non-selected layouts could take part in that…what do you think Pierre Hébert?
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well, i don’t think so making a default layout will mean anything to lightning launcher’s users. because that is what lightning is all about. it works different for every user. Talking about my self, i don’t like any icon on home screen so i just put folders(with no icons on pinned space) instead and set swipe gestures to launch everything.
What i am saying, idea is great. because in starting it’s hard to get along with LL with it’s full features. But i suggest, it’s great to change the default layout also with that i prefer LL should include an intro like HTML(because giving YouTube video link or external link might not help) with some images showing how best lightning can be used with it’s most of features mentioned in it. because HTML will merely take space and if users will first see after installing it, they might get idea what they can do with LL.
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Usually people don’t look at the documentation. If some window pops up on the screen, most users will simply discard it without reading. I mean this is a fact, not just an idea. In contrast, videos and screenshots gather the widest audience. Unfortunately making a video is a real job, from building a scenario, creating different layouts for each scene, capturing the screencast, assembling everything with comments… And often it costs money because good video software is expensive.
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How about having multiple desktops with different themes. Say maybe three different layouts and use a control panel to switch between these layouts.
This will expand the overview of features that exist in LL, but most of all, give the user a wider range of initial eye-candy.
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This is already possible I think depends if I’m reading your suggestion right, there’s an option called load a style all the user would have to do is hit menu/customize lightning/configure desktops then just tap each desktop and apply a different style to each 1 then use 2 finger swipes to switch between them.
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Yes, that I know. But what I meant was to have 2 or 3 different themes as initial. This is to give the new user a better feeling and understanding of the capabilities of LL.
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