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List:       kde-edu
Subject:    Re: [kde-edu]: unified kde-edu style?
From:       Michael Hofer <michaelhofer () gmx ! net>
Date:       2002-08-07 19:49:45
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Hello!

Am Dienstag, 6. August 2002 12:57 schrieb Sebastian Stein:
> Michael Hofer <michaelhofer@gmx.net> [020806 11:47]:
> > On http://edu.kde.org/developer/kde3_2features.phtml a KDEdu style guide
> > is mentioned. What is the status of this task? Is someone responsible for
> > it?
>
[...]
> Than we thought about a KControl module for all Edu apps, so that they can
> be set up from a central place.

I think this is a good idea. I don't know how far the plans for such a 
kcontrol-module are, I just want to point everybody interested/working in/on 
that to the thread "KDE Control Center" (2002-08-04) on the 
kde-usability-mailinglist which deals with the reorganization of the 
Control-Center. (Some people there want to remove application-specific 
settings from the control center....)

> I like to point you to one thread (http://lists.kde.org/):
[...]
> Subject: [kde-edu-devel] And so it begins (libkdeedu)
> Here a common edu lib was discussed.

I've read the thread and there were some interesting ideas. It may be a good 
idea to develop a library providing functions for typical needs in 
kedu-software. But what are "typical needs" for edu-apps?
When I look at the current KDE-EDU-apps, there is a "touch typing tutor", a 
"desktop planetarium", an "alphabet tutor", a geometry program,.....
Ok, there are a few vocabulary-trainers and math-programs. But is this reason 
enough for a kde-edu-lib? Or wouldn't it be a better way to merge these very 
similar programs (or at least bring them on a common codebase)?

Most (kde-)edu-programs are fairly "simple" applications and do not have that 
much in common. What they should have in common is a simple, child-orientated 
and unified user-interface. I know, there are different needs for different 
types of programs.
But I think it could be a first step to try to find a set of 
guidelines/recommendations for UI-design and edu-apps in general. These 
efforts could, in a later step, possibly lead to an edu-ui-lib with 
templates/classes for window-layouts, menu-structures, buttons and other 
widgets,.....

I'm not an expert in UI-design, nor do I have much experience with 
edutainment-apps, but I can imagine guidelines for things like:
- font-sizes
- simplified menu-structures/systems
- color-schemes
- use of images
- sounds
- logos/splash-screens
- a unified scoring/motivational-system (extended kfeeder?)
- "gameplay" (or how to make edu-software fun to use)
- ....

What are your thoughts about these points? I'm sure you have much more 
suggestions/ideas.....

I want to note that educational/edutainment-software which isn't targeted at 
_young_ children has possibly other needs and it could be better to orientate 
it's UI on "normal" KDE-apps, but a few general edu-recommendations may apply 
also to these programs. And after all, it are just suggestions and nobody 
_has to_ do it this way.

servus,
Michael
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