Perhaps the Gnome3 way of thinking is that calling up an additional
application constitutes starting a new task in the work flow, so that
the big interruption happens anyway. I don't think that is a good
assumption for the design of a DE.
This is the sort of criticism that grants a clear place from which to
start rethinking the problem.
-Iwao
PS: And to everyone who thinks list discussions must necessarily descend
into flaming madness after a certain critical mass of messaging has been
reached: Would you really have things any other way?