Following another comment recently ( http://www.kdenlive.org/forum/ribbon-interface-kdenlive-microsoft-office-2007 )
I've posted a mockup that shows what would be, in my opinion, a more efficient use of screen real estate.
Since perhaps many of you won't ever see it inside that other thread, I've decided to post it as an independent thread instead.

The benefits would be more screen space dedicated to "project tree lists"/"effect lists"/"effect controls"/"preview monitors"/etc., and less so to UI widgets.

I'd like to know what you think of it, and if something like this could be possible.

Thanks.

here's the mockup:
http://www.kdenlive.org/sites/default/files/images/kdenlive_interface_mockup.jpg

I vote Yes.

I think the KDE dockable windows make it difficult to place tabs or toolbar items there. It is a similar issue to an app trying to use the window manager's title bar. (Chrome browser is an example of an app that tells the window manager not to manage it.)

I had a look and it seems quite hard to add buttons in the tab bar.

So instead, I added an option in the "View" menu to hide/show the title bar of all docked widgets. So once you are happy with your layout, you can hide all title bars and gain some space...

The changes are in svn rev. 4374

Can't find the option in the View menu, it's available in the shortcut list though.

Fixed. Now you can also right click in the tab area to show / hide the title bars

Oh..!! great j-b-m!!
This should be effective too. thanks!!

Another thing you can see in my mockup is the reduced space between the search widget in the project tree panel and the top of the panel, as well as the media list top edge.
Reducing those spaces a little, could be of benefit too for users running Kdenlive with small resolution screens.

If I can be of any further assistance regarding interface layout or anything, I'm more than willing to collaborate.
As a background information about myself, I'm certified instructor for several mainstream applications (Premiere Pro, After Effects, Maya and 3ds Max), also using several others on a daily basis (Modo, Combustion, Toxik, Nuke, Lightwave), so I ended with a good idea of what things I like and I dislike about the interfaces of all of them :)
Perhaps this could be of help for Kdenlive too?

I see Kdenlive's interface development very well headed, and I want to congratulate you all for that! :)
Keep up the excellent work!

This spaces were probably removed by j-b-m in svn rev. 4385.

Of course it would be nice to hear some more ideas from you!

Excellent! :)
Thanks!