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List:       kde-devel
Subject:    Re: Replacement for "Where do you want to go tomorrow?" tooltip...
From:       "Andrew B. Arthur" <arthur99 () global2000 ! net>
Date:       1999-07-07 18:46:20
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> On Mon, 5 Jul 1999, Steffen Hansen wrote:
> 
>> > > Maybe a simple:
>> > >
>> > > "Registered Applications"
>> >
>> > Or just "Applications".
>>
>> The tooltip should say "The whole damn shit", "K system menu", "Desktop
>> functions" or something like that.

I think carelity is a important point to this tooltip. We need something
that explains the function of the K Menu, without using a million words.
People don't like to read tooltips, they want to have a quick reminder what
that K thingy does.

You need to make it as clear as possible, without messing up everything what
the K does.

Maybe something like this (these are a bit to long!):

"This button provides a list of commonly used Applications" // to long
"Click Here to Choose a program to start" // sounds to windowish
"This button is used many popular Applications" // Clear, but is it a
mouthful?
"Click Here to Open Programs" // This is short and to the point..
"Allows the user to start programs" // see below comment
"Used to start programs" //To confusing... might think it actually launches
programs

I am not sure if I particularly like the application 'start' menu concept,
since it confuses the concept of buttons verse menus (we should make them
look different). It makes the newbie wonder what the difference is between
the K Menu verus a application icon. (A newbie thinks: hmm.. That K must
start KDE or something, since the N starts Netscape). Or maybe he thinks
"That K Menu brings up a list of programs, so the N must bring up a list of
Internet Functions or something". So we need to make menu buttons
(essentially drop down menus) and real buttons look much different.

I don't blame this poor interface on KDE at all, since both GNOME and
Windows 9x fall for this confusing metafore. True this doesn't effect the
advanced user, but it does confuse the newbie.

(sorry, that was way off topic, but I think this a important issue that
should be addressed in future KDE User Interfaces).

After all when KDE becomes popular, their will be lots of new users using
it.

Thanks,

Andrew Arthur a.k.a. AArthur
arthur99@global2000.net

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