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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: Some TOM thoughts
From:       Marten Klencke <mklencke () gmx ! net>
Date:       2002-06-11 18:51:57
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Hi! 
 
> in this case the user may as well use the regular kmenu ... submenus 
> decrease  
> usability. if the user wants two similar apps, they can add another 
> (similar)  
> task.  
>  
> it keeps the concept simple: one task, one app. 
> it keeps the menu simple: task groups full of tasks. 
>  
> i've been toying with the concept of top-level tasks, but even that 
> threatens  
> to mar the simplicity and consistency. 
 
How about making using an alternative application a kind of "advanced" 
feature. It doesn't show a submenu or anything at all, but when you right
click a 
task, you get a list of alternative applications for this task. 
 
Making a few similar tasks is also a good idea, but it does tend to become a
bit 
cluttered. Also, as I see it, the tasks can only have similar names, not
identical. 
Unless of course each application would be hidden or showed individually. 
 
> i'd prefer to avoid submenus. there is no need for nesting. 
 
OK 
 
> i don't want to duplicate the .desktop files in applnk/ since that would 
> mean  
> duplicating those files and all their management (e.g. when apps get  
> installed, or uninstalled, etc) i want to rely on applnk entries since 
> those  
> are going to be consistent with the system. 
[snip] 
> this will probably be easier to accomlish using seperate files, 
> ala  
> applnk, which will mean some minor changes to the task group loading code 
> but  
> nothing enormous. i'll be exploring a few options, though.. 
 
I see. A file consisting of 4 entries? 
1. (string) Task 
2. (string) applnk file 
3. (boolean) This is the default app for the task 
4. (boolean) Hidden (primarily to override system-wide settings) 
 
By the way, have you thought about how applications that are installed get 
registered in the TOM? On the TWiki site, Allistair mentions indenting newly

installed apps, but what exactly is meant by this? 
 
Right now I can think of 3 options: 
1. The applications register themselves in the menu for a specific task. If
there 
are no applications for that task yet, it will become default. (there has to
be 
quite a formal entry-standard for this). 
2. The applications are put into a special "New applications" menu or 
something similar, and the user is asked to categorize them. 
3. Applications do nothing with TOM. The user/administrator is expected to 
handle putting them in there (not really an option I would think :-) 
 
Best regards, 
 
Marten Klencke 

-- 
GMX - Die Kommunikationsplattform im Internet.
http://www.gmx.net

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