Submission details
ASK what to do with new tray icons. Build: 6956
Windows is automatically hiding tray icons to keep things "simple" and clean looking in the tray. This is an annoyance to power users as they will have to go in and manually change which icons they want to appear and it could pose as a usability problem for users who will just not know where the icon is or if it is even running.
Make a simple non intrusive pop up balloon that asks whether to hide the icon and messages, or show the icon and messages. I stress the non-intrusive part. For example if a user just clicks the X on the balloon default to showing it and maybe hide it if it is never used, similar to how the tray works in XP/Vista. Do not just hide all the tray icons by default some users will get very confused.
Medium
Medium
Not fixed
Discussion (5 comments)
I don't want to have a new pop up balloon and think that the new drag&drop functionality is as easy as it can get, IMO. Sorry but a -1 from me here.
Okay, but the only reason you know about the drag and drop feature tino is because you saw the PDC video. In my latest suggestion, I site an article that compares simplicity and easy of use. Although hiding the notification area makes the OS more simple, it does not make it easy for new users.
I like the idea
@Arayta: Yes because of the videos but a new user may expact it because now every item on the taskbar is movable.
The underlying problem here is that third party developers have over-used the system tray. Instead they should use the new possibility to show icons/progress inside of a taskbar button. It is like the UAC in Vista: it may be frustrating for some users but at the end we all will win. IMO.
The drag and drop is very simple but I know that some users are going to "lose" their icons and not be able to find them. I fix computers for my friends all the time and its amazing how little the average user really knows. Would a balloon be that annoying? How often do you add different things to your tray? It should only ask once per application. Once a user has their systems installed and configured to the way they like it I can't imagine to many different things going in and out of the tray. Gotta remember we all know how this stuff works and we have to keep the simpleton in mind who might not know a thing about computers except the blue e opens the internet. Its for the simpleton that I suggest the tray ask a user if they want to keep or hide that icon.
Maybe they should make this an option to turn on or off? Automatically Hide, Ask, or Automatically show would be a nice option for the notification area tab, Ask could be the default.
TheDub wrote on December 16, 2008, 9:59pm
Changed title from [ASK what to do with new tray icons.] to [ASK what to do with new tray icons. Build: 6956].