[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] quicksite:
I totally agree with this. The primary shortcomings of iFonz 1 was:

(a) lack of windows taskbar

(b) I think it used more memory than iFonz 2.

(c) no "image preview" of icons when you were navigating thru the file directories.

I just spent about 2 hours more this morning trying to assign apps to icons in iFonz 2, and then I discovered more frustrations. There is no concept of a locked down grid and page separations... When I deleted some icons (not yet assigned to apps), instead of that space returning to "blank", the entire flow of icons shifted, moving items from "page 2" to page 1.

simo, if I could have my magic wish, it would be this:

using iFonz 1 as the base functionality, but with many of the improvements of iFonz 2.

Somehow the idea got introduced with various launchers (incl HTC Home and TouchFlo), that any action you want to perform regarding a specific icon/app, now must become a global-function... where you enter an edit mode and can select multiple items to delete. Nine times out of ten I only want to control one specific item, so I find that entire interface design concept very flawed. (which means it probably originated in the head of a Microsoft engineer).

Conversely, what I LOVED about iFonz 1 was the independent control of icons, with very intuitive tap & hold functionality -- which matches up more of the way we use PCs and makes using a context menu, whether by right-click of mouse, or click-and-hold for context menu.

I think that iFonz 1 approach is far superior in usability, and you nailed it then.

(a) A user can set the number of pages he/she wants, knowing that I never have to fill a page, I can just keep Utilities on Page 3, or Infrequently Used Apps on Page 4, etc

then

(b) Set the grid template: how many icons across, how many rows.

You preview it instantly, and can see by your eye, "No, those are too big" or "those are too small" or "I want more space between icons". Yes I want text below, or, quickly preview "NO, it's better without text below icons"

All of that set up is totally independent oh how you then choose to assign icon positions. And the eye knows even with placeholder images (boxes) when you have the grid right for your finger size and personal preference. Positioning is very important to me, so I want predictable control over an icon I remove, to replace with another.

(c) and then you would select app and icon, and "type" of icon (if a special function icon that will tie into the WindowsMobile notification system -- messages, voicemails... or next page, previous page.

Now, here is where I would incorporate more of a global edit function. This is just a wishlist item. But it's a different idea for how to populate your icons suitable to your usage pattern.

Suppose there were a split screen, like with Total Commander when in stacked 2-window mode, or other apps.... And at the top were simply the box shaped representations of the icons, and they are numbered starting top-left to bottom right.

|__ 1 __|__ 2__|__3__|__4__|__5__|

|__ 6 __|__ 7__|__8__|__9__|__10__|

|__ 11 _|__ 12_|__13_|__14_|__15__|

etc.

And if your preference is 4 icons across,

it would conform:

|__ 1 __|__ 2__|__3__|__4__|

|__ 5__|__ 6 __|__ 7__|__8__|

|__9__|__10__|__ 11 _|__ 12_|

__13_|__14_|__15__| etc

This would be a scrollable window.

And in the second window, below, would be a scrollable list of applications found on your device... same way that HTC Home and TouchFlo work. (with one addition. It be sortable by name, OR by date, so you could see most recent addtions at top of list if you wanted)

The fastest way to populate the grid and be able to use your phone within 10 minutes would be the following:

(a) Make the application list be more than a scrollable pick-list. Why not be able to assign a number to each line-item application. This could be done with pulldowns next to each line item, or a data field.

(b) If you try to assign #5 (in the layout above) twice, an error message says "this icon is already assigned: [replace with new selection] [keep original icon]"

(c) This way I could go down my list of apps and I already know, I want...

(top left corner)

|__ 1 __|__ 2__|__3__|__4__|__5__|

|__ 6 __|__ 7__|__8__|__9__|__10__|

|__ 11 _|__ 12_|__13_|__14_|__15__|

... 1 to be: QuickMenu Icon

... 2 to be: Task Manager Icon

... 3 to be: Screen Brightness Icon

... 4 to be: OperaMini Icon

... 5 to be: Right-Arrow (next page) Icon

... 6 to be: Total Commander Icon

... 7 to be: "FolderView" (Programs List) Icon

... 8 to be: WiFi on/off Icon

... 9 to be: AudioManager Icon

... 10 to be: Camera Icon

... and so on... I generally know what I want where... so this alleviates having to, one by one, select name, select path for application, select path for icon, etc

So this would be the Rapid Assign mode.

Then I would do what simo did for iFonz 1, and have all those icons default to the existing application icon... but this is done globally, in one action, when I say "SAVE" above.

Then in EDIT MODE, I can go and fine tune, selecting individual icons, tap & hold for context menu, and change the icon, name, or app, as well as all the great old functions: DUPLICATE ICON, and CUT/PASTE MOVE.. (so I can move an icon from page 1 to page 3)

For Moving the icon layout, THAT's where the GLOBAL EDIT MODE is very helpful. To enable drag/drop all over the place. But they should be contained within the designated page.... And if you want to move an icon to another page, then I don't know, you drag it "off" the window, and it bumps it to next page or you do the tap&hold to CUT&PASTE to a different page.

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I apologize if this sounds overwhelming... but I am very pleasantly surprised to hear that simo is open to suggestion. (I am not suren if he is joking or serious).

/quicksite