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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: ui redesign for konqueror settings
From:       Tom Karasek <tom.karasek () student ! uni-siegen ! de>
Date:       2004-02-08 15:56:25
Message-ID: 200402081702.56840.tom.karasek () student ! uni-siegen ! de
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Am Sonntag, 8. Februar 2004 14:55 schrieb Roland Seuhs:

> However this "approach" only makes matters worse, not better, because:
--snip--
i can understand your point of view and i fully agree that a redesign would 
break a known behavior one might got used to (erm, i hope this is 
gramatically correct...:-) )
my general idea was to split the dialog into a part for average users (with 
average options) and a part for power-users (which could stay in kcontrol 
where you already can configure konqueror too).

> 	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 (?)

this is right, mainly because i ignored the already existing ui-standards for 
configuration dialogs. knowing them now, i wouldn't make it exactly like i 
proposed. but: my idea was for people who don't care about technical issues 
but who DO care about some goals they like to achieve. one example: you are 
using konqui as a browser. there is this site which opens 25 popups. you want 
to change this. what does an average user do? he might open the settings (he 
did not touch them before) and try to find the right dialog. _you_ know that 
you have to change some settings for java/javascript. i know it too. but my 
dad doesn't... ;-) 
another example: i share my computer with other people but they don't have an 
account on this machine. so they use my konqueror settings. i don't want 
other poeple to know my porn-sites. what do i want? yes -  clear private 
information with one click (cookies, history, forms, passwords). you can do 
it in firebird. why not in konqueror?

>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 agree - the existing dialog is perhaps the best solution for changing 450 
options in one single window. but just because you _can_ configure konqui to 
behave like anything it doesn't mean that everybody wants to do it or even 
know it. really: is there any average user who wants to mess around with a 
setting like this: DES-CBC3-MD5 (168 of 168 bit)? (...)
a simple button "enable encryption" with a slider from "low" to "high" and 
some useful defaults behind it would be nice for average users. if you need 
more, you still can open the control center. i know - this makes it more 
complicated for experienced users, because they have to open kcontrol and 
find the right section. it is a difficult decision - what is most important? 
change everything in one window and scare average users or split up the 
configuration and make it slightly worse for power users?
i know that it would be a lot of work, since the entire configuration dialog 
would have to be restructured or even written twice.

my example: clear private information

today:
1. open configuration dialog
2. select "history"
3. click on button
4.select "cookies"
5. select the right tab
6. click on button
7. click on cache
8. click on button
9. close dialog

my solution with only basic settings while advanced settings are somwhere 
else, e.g. in kcontrol:

1. open configuration dialog
2. click on button saying "clear all private information now!"
3. close dialog

firebird:
1. open dialog
2. select "privacy"
3. push "clear all"
4. close

this is much shorter and it is not technical. the user doesn't need to know 
that there is a "cache" or a "cookie". he just opens the dialog and 
recognizes: "yes, that's it. clear it!"

another example: i don't want popups, redirects, etc. but i need javascript 
(no script, no fun... ;-) )

1. open new configuration dialog
2. select "security"
3. choose "secure comfy browsing" from a list while a description is shown 
under it, e.g. "this profile will block popups and prevent sites from doing 
this and that")
4. close dialog

today:

1. open dialog
2. select "java and javascript"
3. select right tab
4. turn on javascript
5. mess with 12 radio buttons
6. close dialog


>
> 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.

as i've said above: if you like to change 450 options at once the existing 
dialog might be the best solution. but the layout is sometimes quite poor: 
why is there a slider AND a spinbox (e.g. in "web behavior")?  why is there 
ONE single tab in "web shortcuts" but only there and nowhere else? some tabs 
are almost empty and so they waste space on the screen (e.g. appearance) 
which could be used for other things.

my conclusion: i would keep it for power users (but still clean it as you 
described) and create an easy alternative for average users.

imho konqueror is not the only app that has to be completly redesigned. i feel 
this need with the control center too... :-) 
but this is part of the general "kde needs user-levels" discussion?

regards 

tk

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