From kde-core-devel  Tue Apr 23 07:10:55 2002
From: Jelmer Feenstra <email () jelmer ! cc>
Date: Tue, 23 Apr 2002 07:10:55 +0000
To: kde-core-devel
Subject: Re: Gnome Article on UI Design on /.
X-MARC-Message: https://marc.info/?l=kde-core-devel&m=101955220209683

On Monday 22 April 2002 14:41, Aaron J. Seigo wrote:

> there are indeed some options where this is probably the best thing. but =
it
> would be better IMO to try two other approaches first:
>
>  o make the existing configuration options more accessable through better
> layouts, descriptions, simplifications etc ...
>
>  o move the more esoteric settings into an "Advanced" tab or dialog

I can't help but come up with the advanced settings in IE (tools->internet=
=20
options->advanced). If you take a look at it you'll see it has a tree of=20
advanced options, all of which can be either toggled or selected (checkboxe=
s=20
and radiobuttons). Now, as far as I can tell the config files used by KDE's=
=20
config system aren't defining any valid choices for configureable options,=
=20
right ? This means that implementing the radiobutton-style selection in an=
=20
advanced options dialog wouldn't be easy, as the valid options have to be=20
hardcoded in the dialog design (as they are now if I recall correctly).

Ultimately we would be able to generate the interface from a specification=
=20
that defines which values are allowed for every option (in this particular=
=20
config). When this is possible, it's also possible to have the feature wher=
e=20
the user indicates his/her skill (to, lets say kpersonalizer) and have all=
=20
the configure dialogs setup appropriately (with more or less advanced optio=
ns=20
in place).

We could also just 'manually' adjust every config dialog in KDE to make the=
m=20
have an advanced tab or something - but this is obviously a hell of a job.

Jelmer Feenstra