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List:       kde-core-devel
Subject:    Re: Mac-menu is _not_ faster
From:       Rik Hemsley <rik () kde ! org>
Date:       2000-04-28 20:37:22
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#if Michael Matz
> Note that I haven't even tried to prove something but only gave an
> counterexample to any general prove which was claimed to exist, saying mac
> menus are five times faster. That does not deny there exists a thing which
> proves that mac menus are faster under _some_ special circumstances.

Right. I am not entirely sure that they are faster in general, I'm only
going by my experience and what I've read.

> But whatever these HCI scientist find, by other people it gets simplified
> and applied to things they were not thought for, and then they claim "it
> is". I could with the same argument as yours (you must read much stuff to
> understand HCI design) claim that saying "mac menus are fast" is an
> oversimplification made by people not having read that much books.

Could be true. I've read the books, been to the courses, written a new
desktop that uses the principles, so I'm not shy to say what I think,
but that doesn't mean that everyone has weighed up the evidence. I
might be wrong, but I couldn't say for sure that other people are
interpreting the research differently or just guessing.

> > Sorry, but if you use shells, then you're not a target user. I think I'm
> > right in saying that.
> 
> If you mean by target user, target user for the _default_ system (unable
> or unwilling to dig into configuration), I agree.
> 
> > Again, if you use autoraise, you're not sitting with the vast majority
> > of users (in our 'target group'), so you're a special case.
> 
> Huh? I think by your target group you mean users coming from windows (like
> secretaries)... If mac menu is default they have to change their
> behaviour. You seem to not find that desturbing (I also don't find that, I
> think it's acceptable). But then why find you that changing the behaviour
> for autoraise is _not_ acceptable.

Hmm, good point. I haven't looked into autoraise myself. I don't actually
use the mouse, but when I used to I would use autoraise and sloppy focus.

Perhaps we really should bundle together an 'Elitist HCI' theme and
do this option-at-startup thing.

I'm becoming convinced it's a good idea, not just because it helps provide
and answer to the current problem, but it also just sounds like a nice
thing to have. Those who come from a Mac choose Mac style and get to
tweak later, etc.

Currently when installing and running KDE 2 for the first time you are
only asked one question, something like 'A new version is installed.
Do you want to install the new (something)'. Asking another won't hurt
and I'm sure it'll be quite easy to understand.

> But I would be interested why you think one is acceptable but the other
> not.

I hadn't thought that far ahead :)

Rik

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