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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: [RFC] Icon control page, updated
From:       "Aaron J. Seigo" <aseigo () olympusproject ! org>
Date:       2002-08-27 5:53:42
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On Monday 26 August 2002 11:17, Neil Stevens wrote:
> > Sure, putting everything on one tab is a noble goal, but usually the
> > result is cluttered, intimidating and confusing. IHMO, it's just cleaner
> > to have a few simple, logically grouped tabs, and let the user deal with
> > the complexity one tab at a time.

this is true where it is true that there is a lot of complexity that can be 
easily seperated into discrete tabs. where it isn't, then this is false.

look at the clock applet config dialog => the jumble of tabs was insane given 
the relative straightforward nature of the dialog, which can easily be 
condensed into far fewer tabs

look at the old background dialog => the tabs were not seperate, they were 
intetwined with each other and with a non-tabbed section

look at the current kmail config dialog => every page is a jungle of options 
that are not well layed out and often simply the result of no one who will or 
can make some much needed policy decisions (this dialog is actually starting 
to get some attention, thankfully)

> Cramming everything onto one page also induces a tendency to *remove*
> configurability in order to fit onto one page.  The dialog begins to
> dictate the features, rather than the features dictating what's on the
> dialog.

if your application / component has so many settings that it requires multiple 
tabs, ask yourself:

 o Why do I have so many "features"?
 o Are some options really just compromises standing in for policy decisions?
 o Are some options advanced and belong off the main dialog?
 o Are some options actually duplicates?
 o Should some options be grouped in the configuration, even though 
programatically they are seperate in my code (e.g. think like a user, not a 
developer)

when the # of options ougrows screen real estate, you're either developing a 
large and complex app (e.g. a word processor, 3D modeller, multimedia 
editting suite, web/file browser, CAD, etc...) or else you are needlessly 
slipping into configuration creep.

- -- 
Aaron J. Seigo
GPG Fingerprint: 8B8B 2209 0C6F 7C47 B1EA  EE75 D6B7 2EB1 A7F1 DB43

"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler"
    - Albert Einstein
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