From kde-pim Thu Feb 05 10:43:22 2009 From: Jonathan Marten Date: Thu, 05 Feb 2009 10:43:22 +0000 To: kde-pim Subject: Re: [Kde-pim] KMail merged folder properties - Bug 115611 Message-Id: X-MARC-Message: https://marc.info/?l=kde-pim&m=123383070117459 Ingo Klöcker writes: > Please read the corresponding thread: > http://mail.kde.org/pipermail/kdepim-usability/2004-November/thread.html > > Unfortunately, openusability.org doesn't seem to respond so I cannot > download their report atm. :-( Thanks Ingo for the pointer, I've read through that thread. I also remember looking through the report when it was originally produced (and not agreeing with every point, but that's just IMHO). As far as I can remember the objection to having all the settings in one tabbed dialogue was that casual users would not explore beyond the first tab, i.e. Jan Muehlig says: > The Tabs structure of the current dialog is rather difficult. If you > consider the data on tab 2 and 3 "not so important", then putting > something on tab 2 or 3 can be learned as "ignore it". This is in Therefore having the actions on the RMB or menubar menu makes it clear that they are available, without having to explore every tab of every dialogue - e.g. it is obvious that a "Mailing List" function is there without having to go to the 5th tab of the properties dialogue. But - and maybe I didn't make this clear enough in my original message - initially I was not proposing to remove the actions from the RMB/menubar menu, apart from the dangerous "rebuild" ones. They would all stay where they are now, but instead of leading to a dedicated dialogue they would open the properties dialogue at the appropriate tab. So the user action to invoke a particular function does not change, and there is nothing to be relearned. Hopefully this would keep to the aims of the usability study. So, in that case, what's the point of changing? Now advanced users can remove the actions from the RMB menu (by setting the hidden configuration option) and/or the menubar menu (by editing their rc file). Result, smaller and cleaner menus. The single properties dialogue can be summoned with a keystroke (the standard Alt-Return) regardless of what setting is needed, helping with mouseless operation. After all, the current system has been described (in the bug report) as "horribly confusing". That can't be good... Regards, Jonathan -- Jonathan Marten http://www.keelhaul.demon.co.uk Twickenham, UK jjm2@keelhaul.demon.co.uk _______________________________________________ KDE PIM mailing list kde-pim@kde.org https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/kde-pim KDE PIM home page at http://pim.kde.org/