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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: optionitis
From:       "Aaron J. Seigo" <aseigo () olympusproject ! org>
Date:       2002-02-18 13:56:05
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hi...

> Here's an idea, why don't we ask the user in their first login how familiar
> they are with KDE?  This would set an option that an application could
> check, and the more advanced the user is, the more options that would be
> available to him/her.  We would need to make sure that option is pretty
> visible though. This way we could satisfy both power users and novices.

user levels don't work because someone may be well versed in one thing, but 
completely lost in another rendering a single "how much do you know?" 
question meaningless. it also makes it more difficult (nearly impossible) for 
novices to learn the more useful/powerful/advanced features since they are 
rendered invisible.

instead of crippling the interface, options need to be properly organized and 
presented in the first place.

this may include rewording descriptions, reorganzing option groupings, 
redefining how the user sets or interacts with a given option, moving some 
options to "advanced" tabs, etc.. 

specific suggestions for specific configuration dialogs would be most useful 
in accomplishing this.

-- 
Aaron Seigo
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