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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: KDE 4.2 Toolbars
From:       Mike Arthur <mike () mikearthur ! co ! uk>
Date:       2008-11-17 9:23:03
Message-ID: 200811170923.03380.mike () mikearthur ! co ! uk
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On Sunday 16 November 2008 15:24:05 Peter wrote:
> The WIMP used by KDE defines icons, not text, as a primary human/machine
> interface. Text aids the icon stream, it is not an another interface. Icons
> work better than text because they're language independent and therefore
> universal. If the human does not understand the icons, no amount of text
> alignment in the toolbar will change that because the problem is with the
> interface, not the toolbar.
>
> Text creates incompatibilities within the toolbar itself because it expands
> the vertical toolbar's width, but the horizontal toolbar's length. Because
> text also has orientation it creates inconsistent toolbar behaviour.
Interesting email Peter, cheers for that.

A question: do you think the problems I highlighted with icons earlier (e.g. 
new users just not being able to associate them for the first time with their 
actual functions) are insurmountable or do we just need better icons? I'm more 
with the latter, I don't think I'll ever be able to "teach" my mother to 
recognise icons across applications but I'm interested in your and others' 
views on this...

-- 
Cheers,
Mike Arthur
http://mikearthur.co.uk/
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