Can open windows be minimized?

[ggeisler]

Explore issues around introducing window minimization behavior.

Window minimization wasn't really relevant to Mirador 2's window slot-based system, but could be more desirable or even expected in a freeform workspace. The question was raised during the Mirador 3 kickoff meetings. On the other hand, it wasn't ever brought up as a user requirement in our user interviews or discovery process.

An implementation would likely include:

• Showing just the toolbar of a minimized window. This could be just at the bottom of the workspace viewport (the minimized window toolbar is automatically placed at the bottom of the workspace), or minimizing the window to its toolbar and letting the user be responsible for moving it in the workspace. Or, just removing a minimized window from the workspace completely.
• Including the minimized window's title in the workspace window list, with an indication that distinguishes it as a minimized window versus an open window (this is how the user would find a minimized window if it wasn't represented in the workspace at all)
• Search function (in the window list) that would help the user find minimized (or open) windows

Potential benefits

• Easier workspace management in a scenario where the user has many open windows and some of those windows are not immediately relevant to the user's task (e.g., it might be easier to minimize a window to make room for other activities in the workspace versus having to drag the non-relevant windows out of the workspace viewport)
• If minimized windows are represented by their toolbars in the workspace in place (i.e., a window is not moved when minimized), arranging a complex workspace could be made easier, in that the user could minimize a bunch of windows, rearrange them within a more compact workspace, and then return the windows to previous size when the rearrangement is complete

Potential drawbacks

• Window minimization becomes another requirement our windowing system would need to support
• Adds some complexity to the workspace management (from the user perspective), especially if minimized windows are not represented in the workspace (the user would have to recognize/learn that they can find minimized windows in the workspace window list)

Our initial thinking is that providing a window minimization option doesn't seem to be an especially critical feature, in that 1) it wasn't brought up in our user interviews, and 2) the user could always close windows not immediately relevant to their task and, if we provide a history of recently opened windows/manifests in the catalog, reopen them relatively quickly.