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List: kde-usability
Subject: Proposal: kde guide systray update
From: Datschge () gmx ! net
Date: 2003-02-02 0:15:57
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Hello =)
Attached in this email you can find a first draft of my proposed
update for
http://developer.kde.org/documentation/standards/kde/style/basics/systray.html
Corrections and further comments are welcome and wanted. =)
I also attached a further small "addone" for the already existing
collection of usability reports about Kopete.
Cheers, Datschge
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KDE 3.1 was the breakthrough in eyecandy
KDE 3.2 will be the breakthrough in usability
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["systray.html" (text/html)]
<table border=1 cellspacing=0 bgcolor="#dddddd" width="100%">
<tr>
<td>
<div align="right"><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size="+1"><b><a \
name="general"></a>General</b></font></div>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
A systray application is an icon that is shown in the system tray (typically in the \
panel) which represents the application. <p><b>Short description:</b> A systray \
application is used as an icon to show an application is loaded; or simply to show \
the status of something without having a window for the application.
<p><b>Long description:</b> Unlike usual windowed applications an application using \
the systray <b>keeps running</b> even after all its windows are closed. However \
unlike applications residing in the panel a systray application never has a custom \
user interface but is always represented by an <b>icon</b>. Systray applications are \
so called GUI daemons, i.e. they are <b>automatically started</b> as part of KDE's \
start up (without showing anything but its systray icon) and represent services (e.g. \
checking for new emails) in an <b>undisturbing</b> way.
<table border=1 cellspacing=0 bgcolor="#dddddd" width="100%">
<tr>
<td>
<div align="right"><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size="+1"><b><a \
name="rules"></a>The rules</b></font></div>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
Because of the nature of the system tray icon only non-document specific applitions \
will want to use the systray icon and that means that there will be as many \
different uses for the menu as there will be different applications. But for avoiding \
unneccessary confusion for users it is strongly suggested to keep following rules.
<p><b>Left clicking</b> on the systray icon will <b>show</b>/<b>hide</b> the <b>main \
interface</b> of the application accompanied by a window animation (see below).
<p><b>Middle/Right clicking</b> will show a popup menu with <b>at least</b> a \
<b>quit</b> as last entry and a <b>configure...</b> as second last entry. For \
consistency both entries should be accompanied by the respective sytem wide standard \
icon for quit and configure. Other than those two obligatory entries the popup menu \
can be changed to the programmer's liking. <table border=1 cellspacing=0 \
bgcolor="#dddddd" width="100%"> <tr>
<td>
<div align="right"><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size="+1"><b><a \
name="rules"></a>The main interface</b></font></div>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<b>General:</b> The <b>main interface</b>, represented by a window or dialog, \
<b>always</b> uses the <b>same icon</b> like the one used in the systray. If the \
main interface of the application is a window then closing that window (by pressing \
'X') will only close the window and keep the systray icon visible. All ways of \
showing/hiding the main interface are accompanied by a window animation for making \
the user aware of the relation between the main interface and its systray icon.
<p><b>Content:</b> The main interface shows the application's <b>name</b> and a short \
description of its <b>purpose</b> (in case it is not apparent to casual users). It \
also offers <b>alternative means</b> to <b>quit</b> and <b>configure</b> the \
application for users who are unable to access the respective entries in its popup \
menu. Ideally the main interface also shows statistics related to its service (e.g. \
an email checking service can show the time it did the last check and the number of \
un/read emails on the mailserver, the possibilities are vast).
<p><b>Windowed applications as systray applications:</b> A windowed application is \
<b>never</b> using the systray itself. By definition a windowed application is \
started manually by the user and quits after its last window has been closed. Systray \
applications are started automatically and keep running after all of its windows are \
closed. However a windowed application can offer a <b>service</b> as systray icon in \
which case it needs to ensure that the service <b>will not disappear</b> after all \
windows are closed and that it will be <b>started automatically</b> at the next KDE \
start up without showing anything but the systray icon. This and complying with the \
rules mentioned above will make it a true systray application.
["kopete-addone.xml" (text/xml)]
<issue severity="Medium">
<title>Use of systray</title>
<description>
Kopete as a windowed application shouldn't make use of the systray without asking the user first.
</description>
<solution>
When started for the first time Kopete should ask the user whether he wants Kopete to be started
automatically and to run all the time. Only if he agrees Kopete should show its icon in the systray.
</solution>
</issue>
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