GDM Context menu needs an option to display on button release

[Jim Rorie]

The normal operation of the the Gnome desktop is slightly different than that of a windows desktop with regard to the context (right click) menu. More specifically, the Windows menu appears upon release of the right mouse button, while the Gnome menu appears immediately with the release selecting a menu item. For many users this subtlety is never noticed as most users simply click and release without moving the mouse.

However, for a few of us find it a little frustrating. From using Windows for many years, some of us have developed muscle memory that results in automatically moving the mouse pointer down in anticipation of the context menu click. This gives us a headstart in Windows. But under gnome, typically it results in a release over a context menu item and firing of an unintentional command.

Users may have trouble smoothly transitioning between the two mouse operations and may not figure out what the problem was since the rest of the operations are so similar. They may think there is something wrong with the desktop or mouse. When I demonstrate Ubuntu to other power users, I notice some issues in this regard. Typically, they think the context menu is sticky.

What would be a good solution would be to provide an option under Gnome control panel to emulate Windows context menu operation. This would provide a fall back for users that are migrating from Windows desktops.

[Dan Trevino (dantrevino)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. This bug did not have a package associated with it, which is important for ensuring that it gets looked at by the proper developers. You can learn more about finding the right package at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/FindRightPackage . I have classified this bug as a bug in nautilus.

[Zorael (zorael)]

This is also the case in KDE 4 - or at the very least, in the 4.2 rc1 packages available from the ppa listed at kubuntu.org.

[Jim Rorie (jfrorie)]

Is nautilus the proper package for this? I'm thinking this is purely a core desktop manager issue. I'm reassigning to gnome-desktop unless someone has a better package.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

that's not a bug but a design decision

[Jim Rorie (jfrorie)]

I don't think that anyone was suggesting that it was a bug. It is simply a usability issue for power users migrating from windows desktop or operating in dual use environments. People THINK it is a bug because the effect is so subtle. While a person making a clean break from Windows would eventually learn the new UI function, the dual use person is in a fix. They will never be able to be fully efficient on either desktop. MS has no intention of providing the capability of allowing the Windows desktop to be modified to be similar to Gnome. Linux is about choice, therefore, it should be in the charter to allow customizations that let the user work the way they need to.

The other aspect is that this particular group is exactly the group that is instrumental in spreading the Linux message.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

you should send such request to people writting the code, ie GNOME in the gtk case, the ubuntu team doesn't have the ressource to work on such changes

[Jonathan Thomas (echidnaman)]

Nor the Kubuntu team.

[Jim Rorie (jfrorie)]

Fair enough. Hoping it might be a small change. Submitted upstream....

http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=575071

[Tralalalala (tralalalala)]

This bug is really annoying. It's been bothering me for years now. Please give me the option to show the context menu when I release the button, instead of when pressing the button.

[BlackFoks (blackfoks)]

Hope this bug will be fixed and there will be an option to change this default behaviour (show on mouse down) to the windows-like behaviour (show on mouse_up). Now it's often confuse me becouse I've used windows long time and used to its behaviour.

[BadBoy (sklep-szybkieczytanie)]

It is so important to make the Windows -> Ubuntu migration as easy as possible. People, who make design decisions, must work for Microsoft. Please, fire them as soon as possible!

[Johann Ish (johannish)]

Just want to add my voice to this enhancement! This has been driving me nuts since I switched to Ubuntu as my OS at work three months ago. The functionality aggravates me most in a web browser because "back" is typically the top context-menu item; thus, I find myself losing work all the time. I can see the value to this functionality as the default, but please add a way to disable it!

[Mahanthesh Babu HS (manti-rvce)]

Hey guys, actually this comment not related to above issue.
i what to add the one more option in the right click menu i'm not able to find the package please help me to find the correct package.