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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: ui redesign for konqueror settings
From:       Roland Seuhs <roland () wertkarten ! net>
Date:       2004-02-08 13:55:21
Message-ID: 200402081455.22090.roland () wertkarten ! net
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Am Sonntag, 08. Februar 2004 12:54 schrieb Dik Takken:
> On Sun, 8 Feb 2004, Tom Karasek wrote:
> 
> > hi,
> > 
> > this is my first post here. i've made a quick ui-redesign for the konqueror
> > config (not following the standards - i simply did not think about it before)
> > here: http://www.kde-look.org/content/show.php?content=10590 , because
> > configuring this thing is really painful... ;-)
> 
> For new users, it's a very scary configuration jungle, yes. Many new users
> don't want to touch it.

On what facts do you base that claim?

> I really like your design, especially the front page. It looks very clear
> and simple.

That's true, it pushes the complexity to another level instead of dealing with it. Of \
course the subwindows don't look very clear and simple at all.

However this "approach" only makes matters worse, not better, because:

- Instead of one window with many options you have a main window and 4 \
subwindows/popups with many options. "Which windows did I search already" and "In \
which window am I currently" are a whole category of *NEWLY INTRODUCED* problems that \
                currently just don't exist.
- Currently it is possible to search all settings systematically, from top to bottom. \
That way you can make a full configuration the first time you configure Konueror \
easily. It's also very effective when searching for an option because you can do so \
                systematically and know what parts you have already looked at.
- It would break the whole kconfig design philosophy which would introduce \
                inconsistency
- It makes it needlessly complicated to change a setting if you know where it is. For \
example, to change a Java-setting

	Currently:
	1)Click on Java-settings
	2)Change settings
	3)Click OK

	This suggestion:
	1)Click on web-browser settings
	2)Click on Java-settings tab
	3)Change settings
	4)Click OK
	5)Click OK again (?)

	I fail to see any problem with the current design, it's almost as easy as possible \
and this suggestion is clear change to the worse.


I would suggest to keep it just as it is, but

- make sure never to use the same icon for 2 settings, for example instead of using \
the same icon for web-behaviour and Java/Javascript, use the coffeemug-icon for \
                Java(script).
- use smaller icons so that no scrollbar is needed on the left side (could be done \
automatically - if the height is too small then use smaller icons)

Other than these 2 small details I don't think Konqueror's settings dialogue has a \
problem.

> I think one of the main reasons why the front page is good is that
> the widget-density is low and you use a lot of supporting graphics. 

That's strange because all icons were *removed* except for 4 and in general icons \
were replaced by tabs so I only see a reduction in supporting graphics.

Roland

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