Adaptive Windows Layout Based on Evolutionary Multi-Objective Optimization

Large displays are becoming more and more pervasive, and their larger screen sizes provide an opportunity for users to see more information in more windows at the same time, but at the cost of managing a larger amount of screen space. Some methods of automatic window management have been studied with some success. However, they mainly focus on utilization of empty space and ignore preservation of the mental map of users, which tends to cause user confusion in practical use. This paper presents a genetic multi-objective optimization algorithm to automatically manage window layout with the aim of balancing the two aspects: utilization of screen space and mental map preservation. Results show that the method is capable of generating suitable window layouts for users and takes a key step toward developing an automatic windows manager.

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