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Ecaterina Moraru (Valica)

8 Jun 2016 8 Jun '16

11:49 a.m.

Hi, The problem is that the AppBar could be populated with lots of apps that might not be interesting for the user. Currently the AppBar acts like an AppIndex (for the apps that provide the panels.Applications UIX), while some users might expect it to act like a Favorites mechanism (the admin deciding what apps should be promoted there). Also the AppBar is not very scalable: having 50+ apps installed will be hard for an user to scroll in order to find his desired app. Trying to simplify the Appbar by removing apps from it, concludes that users might not be able to know if some apps are installed and available. The administrators have access to EM and AppBar configuration, but normal users don't. So it's normal to have the need of an "Application Index", just like we have for pages, users and wikis. Topics: 1. App Index page location 2. App Index launcher location 1. The first thing we should decide is where we should locate this App Index. Alternatives: 1.1 Main.AppIndex : consistent with Main.AllDocs and Main.UserDirectory, not consistent with WikiManager.WebHome. 1.2 Applications.WebHome: as a new top level space. In theory, other applications could use this space as parent. 1.3 AppWithinMinutes.AppIndex : as part of AWM, but the livetable should be extended to include all the apps UIX. The page will be included on the AWM.WebHome in addition with the ability to Create new AWM apps. 1.4 XWiki.InstalledApplications : as part of EM, but with rights visible for all users, not just Admins. It will list just apps, with the ability to 'Launch/Open/View' an app. 1.4 other? 2. App Index launcher could be placed: 2.1 in the Drawer with the rest of the Indexes 2.2 instead of the AppBar 'More applications' menu, as a link There are several aspects: A. EM lists for admins all the installed extensions, but they cannot see just the 'applications' installed on the wiki and launch them. We could create a filter to list just applications (InstalledApplications) and help the admin manage apps faster. If we were to move administrative actions inside an external AppIndex (outside of EM) it would duplicate/split EM functionality (Launch, Install, Delete, Add/Create, etc.) B. AWM allows you to create apps. For a simple user, he might not see the difference between what apps are created with AWM and which are not, and why should he care. For an user, an application is just an application. If we don't chooses 1.3 than the user might be confused why some apps are listed in AWM.WebHome, while others/all are listed in an external AppIndex (outside of AWM). C. If we transform AppBar into a Favorites, then we will need to move the UIXP to the Application Index. It's a bit strange that we are considering using a panel dedicated UIXP as a simple 'application descriptor'. There are many things to consider since AppBar, AWM and EM share applications definitions and we might want to remove duplication, but still allow both admins and users have access to information about apps. Let me know what you think. Thanks, Caty Related issues: - "Simplify the Appbar by removing some apps" http://jira.xwiki.org/browse/XWIKI-13433 - "Create an Application Index" http://jira.xwiki.org/browse/XWIKI-11423 - "Better differenciate the notion of Application inside XWiki" http://jira.xwiki.org/browse/XWIKI-7924

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Vincent Massol

8 Jun 8 Jun

2:58 p.m.

...

On 08 Jun 2016, at 11:49, Ecaterina Moraru (Valica) <valicac(a)gmail.com> wrote: Hi, The problem is that the AppBar could be populated with lots of apps that might not be interesting for the user. Currently the AppBar acts like an AppIndex (for the apps that provide the panels.Applications UIX), while some users might expect it to act like a Favorites mechanism (the admin deciding what apps should be promoted there). Also the AppBar is not very scalable: having 50+ apps installed will be hard for an user to scroll in order to find his desired app. Trying to simplify the Appbar by removing apps from it, concludes that users might not be able to know if some apps are installed and available. The administrators have access to EM and AppBar configuration, but normal users don't. So it's normal to have the need of an "Application Index", just like we have for pages, users and wikis. Topics: 1. App Index page location 2. App Index launcher location 1. The first thing we should decide is where we should locate this App Index. Alternatives: 1.1 Main.AppIndex : consistent with Main.AllDocs and Main.UserDirectory, not consistent with WikiManager.WebHome. 1.2 Applications.WebHome: as a new top level space. In theory, other applications could use this space as parent. 1.3 AppWithinMinutes.AppIndex : as part of AWM, but the livetable should be extended to include all the apps UIX. The page will be included on the AWM.WebHome in addition with the ability to Create new AWM apps. 1.4 XWiki.InstalledApplications : as part of EM, but with rights visible for all users, not just Admins. It will list just apps, with the ability to 'Launch/Open/View' an app. 1.4 other?

I believe we need an xwiki-platform-application module that would contain: * Descriptors for apps * Application Index Actually we already have one: https://github.com/xwiki/xwiki-platform/tree/master/xwiki-platform-core/xwi… But I don’t think we use it and it contains old stuff. So we could either: * Keep it, remove the stuff we don’t use and add the ApplicationIndex page * Move it to contrib and create a new xwiki-platform-application/xwiki-platform-application-ui module and add Application.ApplicationIndex page. * Keep it and create a new xwiki-platform-application/xwiki-platform-application-ui module and add Application.ApplicationIndex page. Since each module/app should have its own space namespace (our current rule, see http://dev.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Community/ApplicationDevelopmentBestPra…) then I’d put it in Application.ApplicationIndex (I prefer this slightly over Application.Index since when you view just the page it’s harder to see the context and ApplicationIndex make it more clear). It would be a hidden page.

...

2. App Index launcher could be placed: 2.1 in the Drawer with the rest of the Indexes

+1 for this since it’s very logical and would fit well with the other indexes there.

...

2.2 instead of the AppBar 'More applications' menu, as a link

-0, it’s nice to be able to install new apps + create apps so I wouldn’t remove that. There could be a third option to view all but I don’t feel it necessary if we have the App Index in the drawer.

...

There are several aspects: A. EM lists for admins all the installed extensions, but they cannot see just the 'applications' installed on the wiki and launch them. We could create a filter to list just applications (InstalledApplications) and help the admin manage apps faster. If we were to move administrative actions inside an external AppIndex (outside of EM) it would duplicate/split EM functionality (Launch, Install, Delete, Add/Create, etc.)

EM is technical stuff; it has nothing to do with showing a curated list of visible apps. There are plenty of technical apps that shouldn’t be shown. Using the UIX mechanism is much better IMO since that’s an automatic curation mechanism.

...

B. AWM allows you to create apps. For a simple user, he might not see the difference between what apps are created with AWM and which are not, and why should he care.

Yes, and apps created by AWM will appear in the App index.

...

For an user, an application is just an application. If we don't chooses 1.3 than the user might be confused why some apps are listed in AWM.WebHome, while others/all are listed in an external AppIndex (outside of AWM).

I do think we need to separate AWM-apps that can edited with AWM from other apps so it makes sense to me that the App Index shows all apps but that the AWM home page only shows AWM-apps.

...

C. If we transform AppBar into a Favorites, then we will need to move the UIXP to the Application Index. It's a bit strange that we are considering using a panel dedicated UIXP as a simple 'application descriptor’.

I agree that we’ll need to do something about this over time. For a first version, if we want to move fast on the removal of apps in the app bar I’d just reuse this UIXP for now. Then implement UIXP aliasing.

...

There are many things to consider since AppBar, AWM and EM share applications definitions and we might want to remove duplication, but still allow both admins and users have access to information about apps. Let me know what you think.

Thanks for starting this thread! :) -Vincent

...

Thanks, Caty Related issues: - "Simplify the Appbar by removing some apps" http://jira.xwiki.org/browse/XWIKI-13433 - "Create an Application Index" http://jira.xwiki.org/browse/XWIKI-11423 - "Better differenciate the notion of Application inside XWiki" http://jira.xwiki.org/browse/XWIKI-7924

Eduard Moraru

10 Jun 10 Jun

12:23 a.m.

Hi, On Wed, Jun 8, 2016 at 3:58 PM, Vincent Massol <vincent(a)massol.net> wrote:

...

On 08 Jun 2016, at 11:49, Ecaterina Moraru (Valica) <valicac(a)gmail.com>

wrote:

extended to include all the apps UIX. The page will be included on the AWM.WebHome in addition with the ability to Create new AWM apps. 1.4 XWiki.InstalledApplications : as part of EM, but with rights visible for all users, not just Admins. It will list just apps, with the ability

'Launch/Open/View' an app. 1.4 other?

I prefer Applications.WebHome... would be in line with Macros.WebHome. Additionally, as Caty was mentioning, new apps could be located in a subspace, i.e. Applications.MyApp.WebHome This Applications.WebHome would list all applications, currently obtained by merging available AppBar UIXs with AWM apps. Ideally we should evolve to an app descriptor, but untill there we should merge all that we can into a single view. The AppBar should no longer show by default newly installed apps, but should work the other way around: exclude by default and include only what the admin explicitly adds (curates). We could even set the default list of included apps that are to be displayed in the AppBar (if they are installed, of course). The AppBar should only show apps that the admin wishes to promote/recommend/outline, while the entire list of apps would be accessible in the app index (Applications.WebHome). A nice addition would even be that the AppBar is also configurable per user, similar to what we have for the UserIndex (admin set default with possibility for per-user customizations and reset to admin set default). Thanks, Eduard

...

2. App Index launcher could be placed: 2.1 in the Drawer with the rest of the Indexes

+1 for this since it’s very logical and would fit well with the other indexes there.

2.2 instead of the AppBar 'More applications' menu, as a link

help

the admin manage apps faster. If we were to move administrative actions inside an external AppIndex (outside of EM) it would duplicate/split EM functionality (Launch, Install, Delete, Add/Create, etc.)

B. AWM allows you to create apps. For a simple user, he might not see the difference between what apps are created with AWM and which are not, and why should he care.

Yes, and apps created by AWM will appear in the App index.

For an user, an application is just an application. If we don't chooses 1.3 than the user might be confused why some apps are listed in AWM.WebHome, while others/all are listed in an external

AppIndex

(outside of AWM).

I do think we need to separate AWM-apps that can edited with AWM from other apps so it makes sense to me that the App Index shows all apps but that the AWM home page only shows AWM-apps.

There are many things to consider since AppBar, AWM and EM share applications definitions and we might want to remove duplication, but

still

allow both admins and users have access to information about apps. Let me know what you think.

Thanks for starting this thread! :) -Vincent

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Ecaterina Moraru (Valica)

14 Jun 14 Jun

3:12 p.m.

- I prefer Applications.WebHome to be consistent with Macros.WebHome; - I prefer Applications.WebHome instead of Application.ApplicationIndex since what should we put on the WebHome instead. To be honest I think we need also to fix this on Macros.WebHome which is currently empty and ugly. Thanks, Caty On Fri, Jun 10, 2016 at 1:23 AM, Eduard Moraru <enygma2002(a)gmail.com> wrote:

...

Hi, On Wed, Jun 8, 2016 at 3:58 PM, Vincent Massol <vincent(a)massol.net> wrote:

On 08 Jun 2016, at 11:49, Ecaterina Moraru (Valica) <valicac(a)gmail.com

wrote: > > Hi, > > The problem is that the AppBar could be populated with lots of apps

that

> might not be interesting for the user. Currently the AppBar acts like

> AppIndex (for the apps that provide the panels.Applications UIX), while > some users might expect it to act like a Favorites mechanism (the admin > deciding what apps should be promoted there). Also the AppBar is not

very

> scalable: having 50+ apps installed will be hard for an user to scroll

> order to find his desired app. > > Trying to simplify the Appbar by removing apps from it, concludes that > users might not be able to know if some apps are installed and

available.

> The administrators have access to EM and AppBar configuration, but

normal

> users don't. So it's normal to have the need of an "Application Index", > just like we have for pages, users and wikis. > > Topics: > 1. App Index page location > 2. App Index launcher location > > 1. The first thing we should decide is where we should locate this App > Index. Alternatives: > 1.1 Main.AppIndex : consistent with Main.AllDocs and

Main.UserDirectory,

> not consistent with WikiManager.WebHome. > 1.2 Applications.WebHome: as a new top level space. In theory, other > applications could use this space as parent. > 1.3 AppWithinMinutes.AppIndex : as part of AWM, but the livetable

should

be > extended to include all the apps UIX. The page will be included on the > AWM.WebHome in addition with the ability to Create new AWM apps. > 1.4 XWiki.InstalledApplications : as part of EM, but with rights

visible

> for all users, not just Admins. It will list just apps, with the

ability

'Launch/Open/View' an app. 1.4 other?

I believe we need an xwiki-platform-application module that would

contain:

* Descriptors for apps * Application Index Actually we already have one:

https://github.com/xwiki/xwiki-platform/tree/master/xwiki-platform-core/xwi…

But I don’t think we use it and it contains old stuff. So we could

either:

* Keep it, remove the stuff we don’t use and add the ApplicationIndex

page

* Move it to contrib and create a new xwiki-platform-application/xwiki-platform-application-ui module and add Application.ApplicationIndex page. * Keep it and create a new xwiki-platform-application/xwiki-platform-application-ui module and add Application.ApplicationIndex page. Since each module/app should have its own space namespace (our current rule, see

http://dev.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Community/ApplicationDevelopmentBestPra… )

then I’d put it in Application.ApplicationIndex (I prefer this slightly over Application.Index since when you view just the page it’s harder to

see

the context and ApplicationIndex make it more clear). It would be a

hidden

page.

2. App Index launcher could be placed: 2.1 in the Drawer with the rest of the Indexes

+1 for this since it’s very logical and would fit well with the other indexes there.

2.2 instead of the AppBar 'More applications' menu, as a link

-0, it’s nice to be able to install new apps + create apps so I wouldn’t remove that. There could be a third option to view all but I don’t feel

necessary if we have the App Index in the drawer. > There are several aspects: > > A. EM lists for admins all the installed extensions, but they cannot

see

just the 'applications' installed on the wiki and launch them. We could create a filter to list just applications (InstalledApplications) and

help

EM is technical stuff; it has nothing to do with showing a curated list

visible apps. There are plenty of technical apps that shouldn’t be shown. Using the UIX mechanism is much better IMO since that’s an automatic curation mechanism. > B. AWM allows you to create apps. For a simple user, he might not see

the

> difference between what apps are created with AWM and which are not,

and

why should he care.

Yes, and apps created by AWM will appear in the App index.

For an user, an application is just an application. If we don't chooses 1.3 than the user might be confused why some apps are listed in AWM.WebHome, while others/all are listed in an external

AppIndex

(outside of AWM).

I do think we need to separate AWM-apps that can edited with AWM from other apps so it makes sense to me that the App Index shows all apps but that the AWM home page only shows AWM-apps. > C. If we transform AppBar into a Favorites, then we will need to move

the

> UIXP to the Application Index. It's a bit strange that we are

considering

using a panel dedicated UIXP as a simple 'application descriptor’.

I agree that we’ll need to do something about this over time. For a first version, if we want to move fast on the removal of apps in the app bar

I’d

just reuse this UIXP for now. Then implement UIXP aliasing.

There are many things to consider since AppBar, AWM and EM share applications definitions and we might want to remove duplication, but

still

allow both admins and users have access to information about apps. Let me know what you think.

Thanks for starting this thread! :) -Vincent > Thanks, > Caty > > Related issues: > - "Simplify the Appbar by removing some apps" > http://jira.xwiki.org/browse/XWIKI-13433 > - "Create an Application Index"

http://jira.xwiki.org/browse/XWIKI-11423

- "Better differenciate the notion of Application inside XWiki" http://jira.xwiki.org/browse/XWIKI-7924

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Ecaterina Moraru (Valica)
Eduard Moraru
Vincent Massol