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List:       kde-core-devel
Subject:    Re: KControl and "Advanced Options"
From:       Frans Englich <frans.englich () telia ! com>
Date:       2005-02-01 5:55:09
Message-ID: 200502010602.20675.frans.englich () telia ! com
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On Tuesday 01 February 2005 04:30, Benjamin Meyer wrote:
> Some KControl modules have a "Advanced Options" tabs while other have
> "Advanced Options" buttons.  Should they all try to do the same for
> consistency sake?

If the positive outcome of consistency would outrun any negative impact of 
going for non-optimal solutions in particular cases, it naturally would be 
the best thing to do.

I would go for dialogs, because they are less invasive on the main 
interface(that is, all users), and most users don't need advanced options.

Another issue is the wording. I think the word advanced is condescending on 
the user because it revolves around easy/difficult. It neither communicate 
what the widgets do -- how do you know whether you actually need an advanced 
option? I think some combination with the word details would be better. A 
definite answer can perhaps be found with inspiration from Apple's 
documentation.

The matter in general is word consistency; I think the right place to /first/ 
starting to solve this issue is to give KDE the organizational 
infrastructure: documentation framework for word consistency, a glossary. 
Otherwise it'll grow out of hand again, after one have whacked CVS the first 
time. It's guidelines work, in other words.


Cheers,

		Frans

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