[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread] 

List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: Konqueror Go icon (and why the icon is bad)
From:       Casey Allen Shobe <cshobe () softhome ! net>
Date:       2003-12-07 18:30:48
[Download RAW message or body]

On Sun, December 07 2003 10:55, Simon Edwards wrote:
> Sorry, but I'm very glad that Clipboard won instead of X-copy method, for
> the following reasons:

What on earth do you mean?  X-copy has been around as long as X, and it *is* a 
clipboard.  I guess you mean the ability in KDE to separate the keyboard 
clipboard from the mouse (X-copy) clipboard, but having two clipboards just 
causes more confusion for me so I use klipper to have one clipboard instead 
(KDE 1 & 2 behavior).

> * X-copy is hidden functionality. People just don't know that it is there.

Nonsense.  When I started using linux after Windows, I discovered this the 
first day.  It's quite obvious when you go and try to paste over a 
selection ;-).

> Clipboard has menus, keyboard short cuts and toolbar icons to advertise its
> presence.

For me these are all the same, as they ought to be.

> * When using X-copy you must make a selection, then immediately paste it
> using the MMB. In between these two action you can't:
>   o select another piece of text to paste over
>   o nor select something and apply bold/italic etc to it

Yes you can, by using the shift and arrow keys on your keyboard.

>   o nor switch back to the keyboard, navigate and then paste.
>   o nor place the caret with the mouse, navigate and then paste.

I can.  This is an available klipper setting.

> A selection with X-copy is a fragile thing.

Until KDE went and mucked about and split apart the two clipboards in the 
default setup, it was much more clear.  That's why I revert my desktop to the 
old behavior.

> People have better things to do than learn how to use computers.

Then we don't need to worry about them, because they won't be using a computer 
at all.  To use the computer, they're going to have to learn.  As long as we 
make a consistant and usable interface to make the learning as easy as 
possible, then our job is well done.

> I think you are suffering a bit of NIH syndrome.

No...there are many great features from Windows and Macintosh and even other 
UNIX GUIs, and KDE is based very heavily upon many of them.  But we don't 
need to copy every single feature and act exactly the same.  I'm just asking 
you to consider both the existing solutions *and* new solutions, instead of 
limiting your scope.  That's all.

> Now, the main problem with the Go button is that it looks like an enter
> key.

The main problem is that most users never use it.  Whenever I set up a Windows 
box for *anyone*, I remove the Go button from IE.  About one out of 20 people 
ask me to put it back.  Nobody else even notices.  At my last job the Go icon 
was already removed by the tech support crew from nearly every workstation.

> MS added the GO button, not as a workaround for X-copy (oddly enough)

Your most computer illiterate Windows user will select the text in the 
location bar, right click, hit delete, right click again, click paste, and 
then click Go.  But this is rare, and it is much more rare in the KDE 
userbase.

-- 
Casey Allen Shobe
cshobe@softhome.net
Jabber: sigthor@jabber.org; ICQ: 1494523; AIM/Yahoo: SomeLinuxGuy
Despite the rising cost of living, it remains a popular activity.
_______________________________________________
kde-usability mailing list
kde-usability@mail.kde.org
https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/kde-usability
[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread]