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

List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: Few miscellaneous suggestions
From:       James Richard Tyrer <tyrerj () acm ! org>
Date:       2004-07-22 21:52:15
Message-ID: 4100370F.7010402 () acm ! org
[Download RAW message or body]

Luciano Montanaro wrote:
> El 17:04, giovedì 22 luglio 2004, Datschge escribió:
> 
>>On Wednesday 21 July 2004 22:46, Art Carney wrote:
>>
>>>On July 21, 2004 04:04 pm, Carlos Leonhard Woelz wrote:
>>>
>>>>Changing the default style too often make documentation and
>>>>screenshots outdated. And it is a *huge* effort to update them.
>>>
>>>On the style question, why don't we compromise between the two an
>>>pick ThinKeramik. It is an attractive style which is light but (...)
>>
>>Why do you even make the effort to reply if you completely ignore the 
>>point of the parent you reply to why CHANGING the style (to whatever) 
>>for KDE 3.3 at this time is NOT feasible?
>>
> 
> 
> I'd like to know why people insist in pushing their preferred style 
> as the default. And what has the style to do with usability, for 
> that matter. As long as widgets are large enough, and they have enough
> contrast, shouldn't the discussion move to kde-look?

I only argue it as a usability issue.  I don't think that (some of) the 'really
cool' styles are as usable as the classic styles.  The Keramik style is somewhat
busy when compared to the classic styles.  And you are correct that contrast is
part of the issue.  The Keramik window decorations do lack contrast -- the
buttons are not nearly as visible as KDE2 or other classic decorations.  Plastik
fixes this problem so switching to it would be an improvement in usability.

The contrast issue is more relevant to icons.  The Crystal theme contains many
icons that lack sufficient contrast and, therefore, are not as visible as KDE
Classic icons.  This is not a subjective judgment, it can be established
numerically using information theory -- the icons and styles that do not contain
as much information (or in the case of the busy themes, also contain more noise)
are not as usable.

--
JRT

_______________________________________________
kde-usability mailing list
kde-usability@kde.org
https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/kde-usability
[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread]