Now, I was beginning to think of a general form application. Many application need forms to be filled, and a general application for that seems to make sense. When a button is click, or a text area is changed, the general application could signal it to the application 'model'.
Anyway, that is not what this message is really about. About the GUI, I now realize that what is good for database needs might be good for the GUI.
I did suggest a Up,Down, and Launcher. In database we have the Up,Down,New,Delete. Launcher is New. Delete was missing.
Often, Delete is restricted. New could be.
What's good about the Up,Down,New,Delete, is that it is hierarchical, like the internal structure of Genode.
Highest level is the task: Play, Work, Communicate, Administrate
Second level is the applications category (or application if there is just one) relative to a task: -Play: Strategy Games, Card Games, Arcade games -Work: Office apps -Communicate: Email, InsantMessenger, Web Navigators -Administrate: Desktop, Updates, Backup, etc.
Lower levels: gedit (Up: next document, Down: previous document, New: Open or New?, Delete: current document).
So all that to say that the applications could and probably should use a left band too with up, down, new and delete buttons. And the application area of an application, could very well be an application too.
Should an application area contains it's own notification area for it's chils only? It make some sense.