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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: KDE 3.3 review and configuration menu
From:       Thomas Zander <TZander () factotummedia ! nl>
Date:       2004-09-21 15:49:38
Message-ID: 20040921154938.GB16286 () factotummedia ! nl
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On Tue, Sep 21, 2004 at 04:54:47PM +0200, Charles de Miramon wrote:
> Le Mardi 21 Septembre 2004 16:05, Leo Savernik a ?crit :
> 
> > That would make the configuration dialog even more stuffed (think
> > Konqueror, think Kate).
> 
> Yes, but it seems to be what users expect.

I always have serious doubts about a solution if the user says its what he
wants.
I've see 2 people trying to configure KMail, one using the kmail config dialog
and another using the KMail config as part of the kontact dialog.
The _only_ difference is that the list of modules on the left is larger since
it contains all applications-modules.

The effect of the extra set of items was devastating; he was continuesly lost,
failed to find a linear path through the config and needed serious guiding
to finish the task of configuration.

A basic idea in usability; more (equal) choices are bad.
Moving them from one menu to the config dialog only makes thing worse.

> The weakness of this pile of 
> configuration options can be seen in the Notification Configuration in KMail 
> where you get a very complex widget subclassed from the notification KControl 
> module for a single configuration : should KMail beeps when a new message 
> comes in ?

I'm not sure I follow you; if accessing a certain configuration requires to
subclass a widget (logic versus view) then the design is not MVC, and should
be refactored.
But thats on a much lower scale of functionality then the one you are talking
about (one module, verses all modules).

> The weakness of the actual infrastructure is that the fact that an option is 
> buried inside the main configuration widget or is directly accessible from 
> the configuration menu is not based on the fact that we believe it is more 
> important to stress this peculiar option but based on technical choices.

I'm not familiar with the technology you are talking about; but I have solved
this issue more then ones on a different level then you are requesting it to
be changed.

I suggest you write an email to the KMail people asking why they subclassed
said widget instead of creating a new widget and factoring the needed logic
out of the first widget and into a helper class.

-- 
Thomas Zander

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