Windows 7 Taskforce

gdvlive wrote on January 30, 2009, 6:13pm

If there would be an option to choose between "Make gadgets transparent" and "Show Gadgets on Aero Peek" then I would agree.

But: The mouseover effect of the button is imho used for seeing the gadgets on the desktop - this is why I demoted.
For a fast view on the gadgets just hover that button und and if the mouse is away you have the programs back were they were and are. If you really want to see your complete desktop click on it and you see (and can use) it and a click on it again brings your programs back...

(sorry for bad english)

Thunderbuck wrote on January 30, 2009, 8:27pm

@gdvlive

Let me expand a bit:

I like to keep my gadgets at a low opacity (40%), because I like the look and they're less distracting to me that way. If I hover my mouse over a gadget, it returns to 100% during the mouse-over.

The way I see it, if I'm mousing over the "Show desktop" button, it's because I want to see my gadgets (because I frankly can't see any other use for "Show desktop"). However, if my gadgets stay at 40%, they're unreadable. To me, at least, it make sense that if I'm mousing over "Show desktop", my gadgets can snap back to 100% during that mouse-over.

Does that clarify it for you?

(PS, yes, a setting for this COULD be implemented, likely somewhere in the Personalization settings)

gdvlive wrote on January 30, 2009, 8:33pm

Yes it does and now I totally agree with you (because I thought opaque = transparent). :)

.Chris wrote on January 30, 2009, 9:19pm

Demoted

If you have your gadgets set to a certain level of transparency, it shouldn't automatically change because you want to view the desktop.

Leave it as is...

Thunderbuck wrote on January 30, 2009, 10:37pm

I'd agree, Chris, but for the question of why a user would want to see their desktop to begin with. The only solid answer I can come up with so far is "to see the gadgets".

The current implementation leaves me with these choices:

1) Leave my gadgets at 100% opacity (why offer the opacity option to begin with, then?)

2) Actually click the "Show desktop" control, minimize all my windows, and then individually mouse over each of my gadgets (clunky)

It actually occurs to me that MS could configure the "Show desktop" link to always bring the gadgets to 100%, even if there are no open windows to hide.

I think this improves the usability of the gadgets. Isn't that the whole point of Aero Peek?

(Oh, I should probably also clarify, that the gadgets would return to their previous translucency after the "Show desktop" mouseover, in case that wasn't clear before)

hoopla_punta wrote on January 30, 2009, 11:15pm

how do you set the transparency? +1

Thunderbuck wrote on January 30, 2009, 11:16pm

If you right click on a gadget there's an "Opacity" option with a fly-out.

.Chris wrote on January 31, 2009, 1:51am

Only like 20%, 40% 60% and 100%

not that much choices....

The default gadgets, and the ones online bring to value to me, not worth using in my opinion

but, I agree with thunderbuck, lets see some other answers besides "see my gadgets"

Indrek wrote on February 24, 2009, 12:29am

+1

Not only this, but when Aero Peek is activated, gadgets should be brought on top of the windows, so the glass borders don't cover up any information.

These two changes (opacity to 100% and bring gadgets on top) would immediately make Aero Peek at least twice as useful as it is now.

Thunderbuck wrote on February 24, 2009, 12:52am

Yes, great point, Indrek. I know there was another submission before about not even having the lines shown on Aero Peek for this reason, but your solution is much preferred.

Indrek wrote on February 24, 2009, 3:33pm

I've created a new submission, combining Thunderbuck's proposal with mine.

http://www.windows7taskforce.com/view/1512