This is a mockup idea BASED off "Avant Window Navigator" which I started in Photoshop.. (not finished). Also, icons & wallpaper are made by others, not me..

Purpose:
It's purpose would be to replace both panels on Ubuntu Linux, Keep things Simple/Easy, and Save Space; while keeping ourselves moving in a forward future direction..

How it works:
On the left of the Dock you would have the System Icon, when u click the System icon you get a bubble with your ' programs and preferences' in them like shown in the attachment.. When you click something in the Bubble, like "Internet" the contents in the bubble would change to show all of your internet applications with which you could launch from that bubble..

When you type in the search of the bubble, the contents in the bubble would change to what it found in the search til' you hit the clear search button, in which you would be taken back to the main " Programs & Pref's" menu.

When you open/run a program - that programs icon is then displayed in the middle of the dock.. anything open, minimized, or in the tray would show up on the middle of the dock to indicate to you that it is a running application..

The right of the Dock would be for things like a trashcan, date/time, and weather..

The dock can be set to auto-hide to save even more space when working.. when one clicks an app icon of something already running on the dock you would be switched to that application on whatever workarea that application is located on..


When you get an email or update available, a small text or window like the bubble with text in it would popup somewhere on the screen stating you got something new and some info about it quickly, then it would auto minimize to the dock.

Also there may be a Icon next to the 'System Icon' on the dock for ' places' with a bubble filled with place like 'home' & 'file system' and so on; which when u click those a Nautilus window would open to that folder. Maybe u can choose to have a nautilus folder open or for it to open the folders contents in the bubble..


The way it's layed out and runs makes it a bit dif from AWN but it's Very Very close to the same thing..
This is just steps further and would make Ubuntu a lot Simpler, easier, and kool..
It would set a big standard for other OS's to copy or work around.