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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: Sliders and spinboxes.
From:       Esben Mose Hansen <esben () mosehansen ! dk>
Date:       2004-12-16 21:17:54
Message-ID: 200412162216.45103.esben () mosehansen ! dk
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On Thursday 16 December 2004 18:00, Charles de Miramon wrote:

> I think the problem around Klipper is larger than the question of  the
> range of the slider. Klipper has grown a number of options (especially
> actions) that are complex to understand and use and act as a competitor to
> the drag and drop mechanism.

I agree that actions are a power user feature --- and a feature I was much 
inclined to remove. However, the feedback I receive indicate massive usage, 
so maybe I was wrong. I don't want to base such a decision a mere supposition 
--- I want measurements, or at least real world experience.

As for drag a drop, *that* is a usability nightmare in my experience. Almost 
everyone is confused by drag and drop, and I have yet to see anyone using it 
extensively. Most seem to prefer right-clicking a selecting actions. I would 
not recommend drag and drop except as a supplement. 

>
> The best path in my opinion would be to split between :
>  - a very simple basic Klipper with no configuration options
>  - a Klipper on steroids for power users with a lot of configurability
> options (regular expressions, actions, insane size of klipper history,
> etc.) that will be certainly for you more funny to program that the simple
> version.

I have some experience watching people on windows use clipboard managers. From 
what I observe:
1. Most use the history extensively... At least once every minute of editing 
work.
2. Most turn up the history size as far as it can go, usually after losing 
some cut item which they wanted later. In the programs observed, this was 
usually to a few hundred items.
3.  A sizable minority use static items for commonly needed items.
4. Many regret that there is no searching capabilities in their favorite 
clipboard manager.

This is the Klipper I want to build, handling those 4 items. As you can see, 
1,2 and 4 are now implemented. None of these features requires configuration, 
and are intuitive, discoverable and unintrusive. 

As for action and stuff that doesn't get in the way, I don't mind, but it is 
important it doesn't get in the way, and that it is discoverable. I know the 
current fashion is minimalistic, but I'm not a fashion guy --- I'll take 
well-implemented features any day over lack of features.

>
> The general goal is to diminish the complexity of Kicker and Kicker's
> applets.

I'm sorry to hear that :-( I would rather increase the power and usability of 
the applets. 

>
> Thak you for posting on this list and we are all very happy that Klipper
> has found a new maintainer and some love.

Well, as the code is blocked from release, it doesn't really matter, but 
thanks anyway. 

-- 
mvh. Esben
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