Comment 2 for bug 783240

First, I agree that there should at least be an option of not hiding the "File Edit View Tools Help" menu automatically. IMO, hiding this until a user mouses over it is a poor design decision. It completely preempts the ability to have self-instructing menus. With the menu hidden, the user must (1) discover that there's a menu there if they mouse over it and (2) perform some action before being given information about what menu actions or types of actions are available within the application. Microsoft tried the same sort of thing with the magically collapsing menus in Office a few years back--to pretty much universal dissatisfaction. A well-designed menu system should encourage the user to learn about and start using functionality with which they may not be familiar, not hide it from them.

Second, UI changes like this won't encourage Linux users to evangelize among their less-technical peers. Moving the application menu from the application window is a pretty dramatic departure from what most non-linux users are used to (Windows). It's probably still OK, though, if the menu is present and visible somewhere. You can imagine the inevitable late-night phone calls:

Newbie: How do I _____?
Expert: Click Tools, then Add Ons...
Newbie: I don't see Tools.
Expert: You're using Firefox, right?
Newbie: Right.
Expert: It's in the toolbar. Right next to Help.
Newbie: No toolbar.
Expert: Seriously?
Newbie: Seriously.
Expert: *&$*&#!! OK, the menu is up at the top of your screen.
Newbie: No, it's not.
Expert: You can't see it, but it's there. Move your mouse to the top of the screen.
Newbie: Why the f*^$# did they hide that?

Making current Ubuntu users/evangelists/fanatics feel like they have to apologize for something being harder than it needs to be is a great way to discourage them from trying to get others to switch to it. Increasing the likelihood and duration of the inevitable you-told-me-to-use-this-and-now-you-have-to-help-me support calls is an even better way to turn people off from evangelism. I'm not saying that this one issue will make anyone stop using or supporting Ubuntu, but if there were five issues like this? Ten? A hundred?

Finally, I have yet to see a combination of application name (even a browser showing the name of a web page--FF doesn't even put the page name in the app menu in Unity) plus the application menu that even comes close to reaching the notification area. I wonder where the value in hiding the menu at all is.

-Brent