Docking

I'm not so sure this is the way forward. The best most ergonomic designs require fewer view changes: the goal is to get the material you need visible where you need it rather than hiding it in multiple windows which then need to be docked. Live is a nice example - panes open and close, but in dependable, custom locations where they open in a way that makes sense and where you know immediately where to look for them. Tab swaps the horizontal and vertical views... Another example is tracktion where the properties panel displays editable properties for whatever object - plug/input/media/marker etc is selected, a left panel houses lists (makes sense to put lists in a vertical pane...) and all plug and fader info in on the right... Rather than infinitely customizeable stuff that requires constant dragging around and configuration smart design can do a lot to make things more useable.

I very much second Lawrence's suggestion on this - the way Vegas does tabs is much more useful and flexible than the way they're handled now... would be great to see something like that in REAPER. Linked to that, the split docker would be very handy indeed. Ben [As an aside, Sony long lost the way with Vegas from an audio feature point of view but the way the UI works is still incredible. Very well thought out indeed.]

Am quite impressed by the way that Live handles docking and tabs. I particularly like the way that you have an FX chain dockable along the bottom of the main window

yeah I suppose this isn't "core" functionality so it isn't a priority - I know the midi heads would prefer their wishes get implemented first etc ah well the way I look at this, there is room for improvements and upgrades, I mean once Justin and Co finish their perfect daw what are we going to have to look forward too?

I love to give a +1 for docker improvement .. AND I think it is time to clone JSC. ;)