When Alt+Tab is presented as an application switcher, it MUST ACT AS AN APPLICATION SWITCHER. /steam from ears
This is how I, Andreas, and I assume most people new to Unity understand the Alt+Tab and Alt+` behaviour: "Alt+Tab switches to the previously open application. Alt+` switches to the previously open windows within the current application. Multiple invocations of either will switch to the second, third, etc. most recent application / window." The behaviour you are advocating sounds something like this: "Alt+Tab switches to the previously open application. Unless your previous window* is from your current application, in which case it will switch to that. If you press Alt+Tab twice it you will switch to your second most recent application, unless your previous windows is from your current application, in which case it will switch to your most recent application, no matter what your second most recent window was. Alt+` switches to the previous window..." * Alt+Tab is an application switcher, not a window switcher. It is utterly bizarre and the cognitive load associated with tracking how many presses needed to get to each window is ridiculous (and totally unnecessary). Like Andreas, I was convinced that my setup was exhibiting some strange bug that I couldn't reproduce that caused Alt+Tab to fail on unspecified occasions. I've come here today, after years of enduring it, because it still frustrates me. This Ask Ubuntu question[1] indicates that ~16000 people are also surprised by the current behaviour. Over the years, how many of those visitors do you think saw the only viable answer "don't use Unity switcher" and had positive thoughts about Unity? It looks unpolished and lazy and I'm astounded that there is no change 2 years on, while the alternatives fall out of the defaults. (Collective) you must absolutely change the default behaviour and I implore you to make the change a top priority. [1] http://askubuntu.com/questions/133046/can-i-configure-alt-tab-to-always-switch-applications P.S. I'm sorry Marco, that it means breaking your workflow but simplicity must prevail. What you want is a window switcher, not an application switcher. Your exact workflow can remain supported through non-default settings though I put to you that unless the behaviour can be fully explained in one concise sentence, then it doesn't even deserve a place in the GUI. -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of DX Packages, which is subscribed to unity in Ubuntu. Matching subscriptions: dx-packages https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/998285 Title: Tapping alt-tab switches between windows of the same application sometimes Status in Unity: Won't Fix Status in “unity” package in Ubuntu: Invalid Bug description: Normally, tapping alt-tab switches between applications, and tapping alt-` switches between windows of the front-most application. However, if the two front-most windows are from the same application, then alt- tab will switch between these windows instead, instead of moving to the second-front-most application. Hence, in this case, alt-tab duplicates the action of alt-`. Here is an example: 1) create the stack with two nautilus windows at the top, e.g. Nautilus window 1 (N1), Nautilus window 2 (N2), and Firefox window (F1) (but you can use any applications). Create the stack either by [clicking F1, N2, N1] or [switching to Nautilus with alt-tab, then alt-` to the other Nautilus window]. 2) Tap alt-tab. What happens: I switch to the other nautilus window. What I expected: to switch to the other application (i.e. Firefox). ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04 Package: unity 5.12-0ubuntu1 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-24.37-generic 3.2.14 Uname: Linux 3.2.0-24-generic x86_64 ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu7 Architecture: amd64 CompizPlugins: [core,composite,opengl,compiztoolbox,decor,vpswitch,snap,mousepoll,resize,place,move,wall,grid,regex,imgpng,session,gnomecompat,animation,fade,unitymtgrabhandles,workarounds,scale,expo,ezoom,unityshell] Date: Sat May 12 10:17:21 2012 InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot" - Release amd64 (20111012) SourcePackage: unity UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to precise on 2012-04-29 (12 days ago) To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/unity/+bug/998285/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~dx-packages Post to : dx-packages@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~dx-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp