Plasma 6 proposal: restrict virtual desktops to 1D layouts
This one might be controversial, but I wanted to throw it out there.
By allowing 2D virtual desktop (VD) layouts, we add complexity that holds Plasma back in other regards:
- Automatic VD management #1: Window management scripts won't be able to implement macOS-style behavior that inserts a temporary "space" for full-screen windows next to the existing virtual desktop.
- Automatic VD management #2: Window management scripts won't be able to implement the new GNOME approach of automatically moving mosaic tiles to the next "workspace" when space runs out on the current virtual desktop.
- If we only need two directions for gestures (and shortcuts), i.e. left/right or up/down, we can use the other two directions for often-used expand/contract gestures (and shortcuts) such as Overview, Activities, minimize/maximize window, idk, stuff that isn't currently particularly discoverable.
- Virtual desktop switchers such as Overview wouldn't have to do mental gymnastics to represent the 2D layout in a 1D switcher. I'm thinking it might be intuitive to auto-layout the 1D space of virtual desktops according to the task bar alignment: with a horizontal task bar, VD switching makes most sense horizontally, with a vertical task bar, vertical VD alignment. This goes for both the Virtual Desktop pager widget being scalable, and for "continuity" in the task bar.
Now, emulating features from competing desktops isn't too strong of an argument in general, and the other two points are rather minor probably. But I do wonder that, with all the window management progress that's currently happening (both GNOME and Cosmic), if we really want to put ourselves in a position where automatic virtual desktop insertion/removal would be super awkward because it doesn't fit within the 2D layout paradigm that we've committed to.
Personally, I think there's more to gain from having a simple but dynamically extendable/scriptable single line of virtual desktops, as opposed to a hardcoded 2D space of virtual desktops. I don't think we can have both without hurting usability.