For quite some time, i've been thinking about what a computer interface should be nowadays. There were many attempts to replace the old fashioned windows taskbar. I've tried many of them and to be honest, none was able to deliver a really better solution.
So far, the best option is the object dock, it's small but it doesn't bring many of the features we can find in the taskbar.
I believe most of us have already seen the new Windows 8 metro interface, although it gives the flexibility to set whatever the user wants there, it is not very functional, it takes too much screen space just to make it look nice.
There must be another way to replace the windows taskbar by a more functional, clean and fast interface, bringing all the features found in the usual taskbar plus a few more handy ones, in just one panel.
So I thought about a panel that works along with a notifier top bar, that slides in showing last messages from the messengers applications, e-mail client, RSS, Twitter, Facebook, etc.
The panel can be configured to use the aero blur effect (with options to choose from different collors) or can it can use an image (wallpaper) in the background (as long as it doesn't compromise the viewing experience).
The panel is called by pressing the windows button (therefore a tweak in windows must be used, to disable the taskbar completely) or by moving the mouse pointer left edge of the screen. It goes off by pressing "esc" or by clicking an icon on it.
The notifier bar can be dragged down (as seen on iOS 5.0) showing more info about the updates. It stays showing until the user clicks on it or press the escape button. It can be slide in by moving the mouse pointer to the top edge of the screen.
See the screenshots, it gives the visual idea of the concept.
http://browse.deviantart.com/customization/screenshots/#/d4hhc8r
http://browse.deviantart.com/customization/screenshots/#/d4hhclg
This is just a startpoint, I'm sure there are many ways to evolve the idea.
The question is: Is Stardock interested in take this idea and make a product out of it?
