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List:       kde-core-devel
Subject:    Re: The handle arrows in kicker (was kicker applets usability)
From:       Ellis Whitehead <kde () ellisw ! net>
Date:       2001-12-12 15:57:54
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> Neither I nor you need the arrows to find the context menu and yes, it is
> inconsitent but you won't believe how many bugs got submitted to
> bugs.kde.org by people who did not find out how to remove applets.

There's a lot to be said both for new users being able to figure 
something out and for not getting unnecessary bug reports.  

Apparently it's a matter of simplicity of form vs. clarity of function for 
the novice.  Although this is obviously subject to personal preference, it's 
also part of "Art Design 101" and general visual sensibility that a bunch of 
irregularly spaced arrows don't belong in a professional design -- 
artistically speaking.  You don't see Mercedes pre-installing little pokemon 
stickers on their dashboards pointing to the blinkers and wipers.

For the sake of reducing bug reports we could have the arrows displayed all 
the time by default, but the ugliness-cost is too high not to have the option 
of only displaying the arrows when a handle is active.

Regards,
Ellis

On Wednesday 12 December 2001 10:07 am, Matthias Elter wrote:
> >Well I'd agree with the original poster - they make kicker look
> >cluttered and messey. They should at least be themeable, so that they
> >can be removed in certain themes.
>
> I'm not sure about that. How do you answer user mails when the arrows are
> there only in some themes? "You can use the context menu to remove the
> applet, press the arrow button ... wait, do you use theme X?"
>
> >After all, you have to right click on icons in kicker to remove them,
> >and there's no arrow icon there. So surely its just as consistent to
> >not have the arrows on applets.
>
> Neither I nor you need the arrows to find the context menu and yes, it is
> inconsitent but you won't believe how many bugs got submitted to
> bugs.kde.org by people who did not find out how to remove applets.
>
> Greetings,
> Matthias
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