5

Today, viewing some web pages i realize that the default app switcher (alt+tab) is very very poor. Here is an example:

http://i54.tinypic.com/2elb0no.png


As you see the title of the web page is so long that the app switcher fails to show it all.

Here's another pick with horizontal tab layout and more apps opened:

http://i55.tinypic.com/2412epv.png

The others apps who doesn't have a long name looks really bad too.

I think the app switcher should have a fixed size and the text should be shortened and auto-scrollable.
Also, the app switcher is very buggy and slow.

The new Gnome3 app switcher is really simple and fast. Something like that would be nice to have.

Here's an idea:

http://i55.tinypic.com/2ey97c3.jpg

Some sort of ring switcher where the app that is coming to focus is the biggest, and the text is shortened and auto-scrolls.

This app switcher is the fallback. Compare with the cover or box switcher.

"The new Gnome3 app switcher"

Link?

There are multiple different Task Switcher effects (as on you can see from your screenshot)

1) No effect
2) Box switch
3) Present Windows
4) Cover Switch
5) Flip Switch

If you select 1) so you dont see any effects, then you can configure the list visual show by pressing "Configure layout" and if "Display list while switching" is ticked.

The configuration options are next
Layout: Horizontal, Vertical or Tabular
Item layout: Informative, Compact, Small icons, Large icons and Text only
[tick] Show selected Item: Top, Bottom, Left and right.
Selected item layout: (same as Item layout)
And then there is Minimum Size width and Height

With all thse settings, you can get what you want. There is a small bug what is seen if user set Minimium Size other than 1:1 ration. What means that the switch window is other than box, but if switcher shows only big icons, then their boxes are same as ration, while they should be 1:1 independently without effecting the ration of switcher window (just set <10% minimium size).

To get what you want, is to set main configs as:

[Tick] Highlight selected window
Effect: No Effect
[Tick] Display list while switching

Configure Layout:
Layout: Horizontal
Item layout: Large Icons
[Tick] Show Selected Item
Selected item view: Bottom
Selected item Layout: Text Only
Minimum Size: 10% / 10%


But I would suggest to be default (if compositing is enabled by default) for switcher is Effect "Present Windows" and list turned off.

With KDE 4.8 onward you can use QML to create your own window switcher and these will be sharable through GHNS, so you can download new ones that better suit your needs.

Marked as In Progress.