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

List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: [PATCH] Re: Kicker bar maiming, take Two
From:       William Leese <william () leese ! nl>
Date:       2004-01-05 17:06:40
Message-ID: 3FF9A7DC.1020507 () leese ! nl
[Download RAW message or body]

Frans Englich wrote:
> On Monday 05 January 2004 07:05, Simon Perreault wrote:
> 
>>How about simply moving it to "Other multimedia applications" (or whatever
>>it is named) instead of removing it altogether?
> 
> Give me a reason. Why would the user would kaboodle when there is noatun, 
> taking into account the functionality the user wants when using the KMenu. 
> The KMenu is too big with no reason! If this change sounds drastic that is 
> what it takes. We should take opportunities to cut down and here's a valid 
> reason.
> Until proven otherwise, ofcourse.

For some people KMenu also serves the purpose of telling the user what 
is installed on their system. Removing kaboodle from the kmenu would 
make it seem it's not installed.

Also, what if the user configures kaboodle (after it has opened a file), 
then opens noatun: shock! where did my changes go?

Kaboodle and Noatun are different applications, let's not confuse the 
user by pretending there's only Noatun and the 'mystical quick 
mediaplayer that plays media files on doubleclick'.

It's just needlessly confusing :)

> 
>>>* rem_most_used.diff
>>>Yet another noise catalysator - removes the "Most Used Applications"
>>>kmenu section. We have enough of functionality, and bloat in the KMenu.
>>>Furthermore, I think that section is not very usable - the user don't
>>>orientates after what tool which was used(which we KDE developers in tons
>>>of cases do, ask me for examples), but the content - the document. The
>>>KMenu does not need "Most Used Applications" but "Recent Documents". The
>>>patch tries to be as nonobtrusive as possible, disables the GUI in the
>>>KMenu as well as the settings is Panel Configuration but leaves the
>>>business logic(dead code paths).
>>>It also makes BR #71726 irrelevant.
>>
>>Not over my dead body! The most you can do is play with defaults.You just
>>can't remove a feature someone put a lot of time into coding, other people
>>put a lot of time into debugging and 
> 
> Sorry, if our decision regarding KDE should surround if people will get upset 
> or code removed which people have put tears and bloods into, we are seriously 
> screwed. If this is the argument to not remove it, KDE has not as primary 
> goal to be a desktop but please developers. An aspect of the open source 
> development model taken a little bit too far.
> I'm really sorry, I wish I didn't "have" to come with the proposal but if we 
> value usability it will be needed. You are ofcourse allowed to maim my work, 
> for valid reasons.

I honestly believe this is a good feature and is very appreciated by 
those who use it.

I also think it has more value than the additional space won by removing 
it. Convince people of that first, then remove it please :)

(You're proposing the changes, so you have to comeup with the pro/con 
arguments :)

> Regarding B, it is quite well established something has to be done about the 
> overgrown KMenu and its complexity. We KDE people complain about it 
> frequently, practically all reviews since 3.0(don't remember about 2.x) 
> mentions it and Relevantive's usability report mentions it too. To emphasize, 
> no doubt there's a usability problem and something has to be done about it.

Relevantive's usability report had some comments on the previous 
incarnation, saying that it was confusing. Since then I believe it was 
Waldo who added a 'title' to the various sections of kmenu, to avoid 
confusion.

   - William
_______________________________________________
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]