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List:       kde-devel
Subject:    Re: K start menu icon ideas
From:       Ralf Nolden <nolden () kde ! org>
Date:       2001-07-28 7:52:24
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On Saturday, 28. July 2001 01:06, Hetz Ben Hamo wrote:

Ok, now comes my $0.02 on this.

a)
Q: How does Windows point to start on their first startup ?
A: Yes, they do because it's necessary for the languages where start isn't 
translated or commonly used. Windows 95/NT4 have a label that comes from the 
right with an arrow pointing to the start button. The label moves across the 
bar and bumps to the start button with an animation. The user notices the 
animation and reads the text saying this button is intended to start stuff 
and the first thing they need to do is open it. Windows2000/ME has this 
Tipdialog that has an image where a mousepointer moves over to the start 
button and opens the menu in an animated gif (I think).  Winodows XP has a 
different color (green) while the rest of the panel is blue.

Q: How could we do it ?
A: There are two things that need to be done: a)Add a dcop call to kicker to 
open the menu. Implement a call in ktip that on exit the menu is opened. 
Another option is to add a config option to kicker that does that, but 
preferrably the opening of the k menu should happen right away after the ktip 
is closed as it is a modal dialog and needs to be quitted. An opened k menu 
at the same time is confusing. b) is to use the kicker tiles to only tile the 
K button with a special tile by default The tile can be set in kpersonalizer 
automatically due to the used color scheme set by the theme selection; if the 
user already had KDE in use then don't set the tile (because the user already 
knows how to handle KDE). 

Another question I have open is how does MacOS do this ? I also saw on 
mosfet's site that he's working on a better macos menu, which I think is a 
good start to incorporate into KDE because it's really a good thing to 
enhance that one like his screenshots already show.

Ralf

> Hi,
>
> Well, Sun studies are nice, but it is problematic from some points. Allow
> me to share it with you:
>
> 1. Using "Start" is a simple balant copy from Windows. This point can be
> arguable...
>
> 2. You're putting text into graphics which is a very problematic in terms
> of i18n - do u know anyone who is serious to create this "start" button for
> 56 languages? text inside graphics issue has been discussed previously on
> the i18n mailing list and it has been agreed not to put text inside
> graphics (that, btw, why you don't see a version number in the KDE Splash
> screen when you start KDE).
>
> 3. I had the pleasure to let some kids play here at home with some of my
> machines and they were playing with KDE. Those kids got right away what is
> the "K" button and used KDE without any problem. Same thing for some other
> people who barely used windows and I helped them - they didn't need me to
> know where is the "start" button...
>
> 4. Try to put the panel vertically - and as you can see - "start" graphics
> will be shrinked too much..
>
> What i CAN suggest is to open a tool tip for the first time user (after
> kpersonalizer runs the first time) - and open a tooltip very close (but not
> attached) to the K button with a small flashing arrow toward the K button -
> explaining what is this.
>
> How's that?
>
> Hetz
>
> On Saturday 28 July 2001 02:01, Sheldon Lee Wen wrote:
> > Hi,
> >
> >    A few people have told be to post thie to KDE artists, or KDE look or
> > even KDE devel so I'm posting it to all of them. There has recently been
> > some discussion on improving the usability of KDE as a result of the
> > gnome usability study that sun did. One of the things that was raised was
> > that the K menu button was just as ambiguous as the gnome foot, something
> > which was cited as a problem for usability. A few suggestions have been
> > made as to improve this aspect of KDE> One very good suggestion put
> > forward was to make the icon wider, thus improving it's visibility on
> > kicker. In that vein I've bashed a few pixels together and done some
> > concept shots of what one might look like. Now, I'm no artist so these
> > aren't real icons or anything, but they give you the idea. I'd also
> > welcome other ideas as well. OK, you KDE veterans, don't freak out when
> > you see the "start" ones. You can see them on a corner of my website I
> > threw up for KDE, here:
> >
> > http://lycadican.sourceforge.net/kde/
> >
> >> Visit http://master.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/kde-devel#unsub to
> >> unsubscribe <<

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Ralf Nolden
nolden@kde.org

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