Move it to the brainstorm.

I don't think it fits very well in Brainstorm. This thread isn't about an idea that I would like to see implemented - the purpose was to hear what other people thought about the application launcher menu and share ideas. Indeed, the discussion has led to some improvements, such as the "scan" mode.

Hi,
the reason that all the solutions until now failed to impress me is the poor usage of space. When I have a 1000 pixels on the vertical these programs insist on using a fixed amount. If I have 3 programs use a small region so I know exactly where to look; if I have many you use as much space as you need and the screen provides you.

I'll show a screenshot where the traditional menu is good enough for the tasks. Using bits of what I have in my memory (approximate icons, a small hint of the name, having an idea of the position in the alphabet) and doing a fast overview of that huge list, I can identify a program of my need. Simply because I have to scroll Lancelot fails this use. Don't scroll if you don't have to. I'm not reading a research paper, I try to find icons.

Of course, searching on the type of usage helps, but you have to start typing. I was looking for Zim in Lancelot and I entered "notes". Zim is not there. I took the traditional menu, went to "Utilities" and looked for a greenish icon in the last part of the menu (some kind of location memory). It's there, it has a greenish with red icon and is called Zim.

I don't have the skills to write fancy GUI programs without wasting weeks or months, but I would try to work on what is already good and proved. Show something that expands like the traditional menu, for each menu item offer a small label with the shortcut to get there, instead of pressing up/down. Help with an intelligently placed floating search box, with a list of items underneath it. Don't make me duplicate my input and keep the sequence logical. Ex. if I press an item called "logout" you logout, not show a popup asking me to choose again logout. But if I chose and item called "leave", of course, you show me the more ways to leave.

I don't know how to upload a picture here, so click on this one: http://alecs1.wordpress.com/files/2009/06/picture28.png

I like the idea of displaying subcategories. I hate clicking once again to find a program. Unfortunatelly, kde has tendency to make subcategories. In 4.2.4 there are subcategories in 'games', 'education', but in 4.3 I've saw it also in 'internet'!
I also like the idea to cover panel when menu appears.

Topic edited to fix BBCode

Anything happening with Zetta?

Unfortunately not, mainly because I don't use an application launcher anymore (hooray for keyboard shortcuts and KRunner). There's also a lot of other stuff (plasmoids etc.) I want to do.