I only ever use the left panel for adding new nodes, mostly Terrains, Surfaces and Cloud layers etc. Thinking about it now I never refer to it once an item has been added. The only reason I use it at all is to add 4 or 5 basic node combinations. That's because the Surface layer comes in with a Breakup shader already attached, Cloud layers arrive with their fractal breakup shader, terrains turn up at a useful size, water arrives with its shader too and object populations have their object markers. Also nodes added this way wired into the Network for you (weather you want them to be or not
). None of these are available via the right click menu! If I could add combination nodes like this without the left hand panel then the panel would serve no purpose. On plenty of projects now I'm starting to run very low on Network view real estate, it would be great if the left hand panel could be minimized, giving more space to the Network view and 3D preview.
So my request if your thinking about modifying the network view is to make it bigger and add to it the functionality of adding networked combination nodes. Basically take what the left hand panel dose and put that in the network view via the top row of add buttons and the right click menu.
Just one of those 1.53am
waiting for the render to finish rambles.
Richard
ps:I have NEVER used the left hand window "list" view
(the list visible in the left hand window when the top Node Network button is selected), ever, not once ...