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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: Logout Dialog
From:       zander () kde ! org
Date:       2004-11-15 20:21:53
Message-ID: 20041115202153.GA3259 () factotummedia ! nl
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On Mon, Nov 15, 2004 at 04:47:43PM -0300, Andre Moreira Magalhaes wrote:
> > eyecandy often gets in the way of usability.  
> agree
> 
> > just because something looks cool
> > doesnt mean its functional or practical.  i agree that users like having a 
> > "pretty" interface, but were going backwards if we begin designing for looks 
> > instead of functionality.  
> Point me out what funcionality the current dialog has than the proposal hasn't.

Does it have keyboard navigation?
- left/right
- tab
- space
- enter

The mnemonic (alt-something) is very much out of place for a hyperlink; only
provide mnemonics on buttons please.
And if you leave them away then naturally I will complain they don't have
mnenonics :)

underline under a text makes it less readable and is a very bad way to show
focus.

using hyperlinks will probably break accessibility. (always use default widgeds)

Horizontal layout makes things less usable if the words get longer (and
translations certainly will do that)  So will the person who claims otherwise
please explain himself?  What is the basis of claiming horizontal layout
is more usable.

How will this look on a low-color (16 or 256) display?  Is it still usable?
Will the default X settings allow the text to be readable?
Also remember there are people who can't read the text if its not black on
white (or visa-versa).  Creating a new dialog must take these things into
account.  If I set my colors to black/white; will this still render OK.

Point is;  its very very hard to create something nice and keep it usable;
using new widgets and not-default navigation (hyperlinks outside of context)
does not help.

Everyone here will agree that if its both usable _and_ nice looking it should
go in;  but beware that that takes a lot more time and leearning then you
might want to spent on it.

The styleguide should make this all easier, but that will have to wait.

-- 
Thomas Zander

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