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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: Lycoris usability - not perfect but the way to go (as with Apple)
From:       Christoph Held <c-held () web ! de>
Date:       2002-08-30 23:11:08
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On Friday 30 August 2002 22:08, Aaron J. Seigo wrote:
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> if the pages need to be generated dynamically, then there needs to be code
> to do this. if there needs to be code to do this, then we aren't getting
> away with an easier implementation. therefore we should use the interface
> medium that gives us the capabilities we need, e.g. a native interface.

of course, to render everything in html does not make sense.


> i'm merely pointing out that using HTML will not fix anything that a proper
> design will. 

o.k. let's focus again:

> this does not mean we need to use a huge tree, or that we can't have pretty
> icons and expansive text, or that we can't have a logical interface.
>
Let's, imagine your big sister or mother to use the current KControl. From a 
usability point of view, we have lost the second KControl appears on the 
screen.
Actually, a 3 step approch is missing: 1. select control center 2. select task 
3. Configure. 
The second step is needed to make the user feel he is on right track. So 
descriptive text would be good for step 2. 
e.g. imagine the next screenshot to be 'step 2' (of course the links are not 
suitable for KControl)
http://www.modemnet.net/articles/reviews/images/lycoris2.gif
(e.g. a link could be Apearance and Behavior - that will load all look&feel 
kcms in KControl)
There are large icons and descritive text - pretty good. Of course there are 
more possebilities.

Also, don't underestimate design. The current KControl looks for non technical 
persons very unprofessional. An app like the one described above would help. 

For professional kde users I would suggest a checkbox 'Don't show this dialog 
again' at the bottom of such an application.



> and a proper design will be far more powerful than anything we
> could achieve with HTML.
>

In general, html does not require coding (low hanging fruit) and most likely 
has better disign possebilities than c++ code. The disadvantage is the 
aditional loading time for khtml (I think 2-4 sec) but well, who cares... 
power users will disable such an application, anyway.

Greetings

Christoph


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