Created attachment 201349 [details] List of dialogs with GtkNotebook In total we have 98 ui files containing a GtkNotebook, out of which 5 have no tabs (unclear situation!), 7 are inside another dialog (eg. AutoCorrect). In addition to the 8 completed we have 17 with at least 6 tabs. I suggest to apply the vertical tabs but with stacked icons, similar to the hyperlink dialog. This needs a case-by-case evaluation, for example the assistant-like Welcome dialog could remain horizontal. The attached document lists all remaining dialogs. Yellow background indicates "inline tabs", red non-tabbed dialogs, blue existing VT, ie. Hyperlink. The
Example in bug 167085
I would say this is one possible solution to the "problem" of having few vertical tabs. Another solution is flexible-height tab headers, like we had for horizontal tabs. I'm fine with this personally, but I wonder if we should really have just-this-and-only-this universally, everywhere.
(In reply to Eyal Rozenberg from comment #2) > I wonder if we should really have just-this-and-only-this universally, everywhere. Do you think of bug 167108?
We discussed the topic in the design meeting. The proposal was unanimously accepted for all tabbed dialogs as a) displays are nowadays mostly widescreen, b) icons are an attractor and make the dialogs more usable, and c) the envisioned option to switch back to classic tabs (bug 167108) gives detractors the chance to revert. For long labels in particular after localization it might be necessary to wrap the lines.
FWIW: I personally can't get used to the less 6 tabs dialogs being treated differently from > 6 tab It's quite distracting, IMHO. It disturbs the predictability about how the dialog will look and feel across the various dialogs. Reason: (a) position of the label. Right from the icon/below the icon (b) amount of space to click (small/large) (c) amount of mouse-movement required to go next item (d) the amount of items you can see in one view (large icons require more eye movement in my perception) It looks different because of the size of icon. Icon large, is the primary way of identification of a tab. (Icon only argument). Small icon, icon is only assisting the label. Or at least both are equal in importance It feels like one couldn't make a choice between designs, so did a compromise of doing both depending of the amount of tabs