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

List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: KDE4 and KRDC4 usability
From:       "Jos Poortvliet" <jospoortvliet () gmail ! com>
Date:       2008-11-21 9:29:28
Message-ID: 5847e5cf0811210129k10f41634s36a65b904a086c6a () mail ! gmail ! com
[Download RAW message or body]

On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 4:00 PM,  <brian@amason.net> wrote:
> On Wed, November 19, 2008 1:58 am, Stefan Monov wrote:
>> Also, kde@kde.org for user support.
>>
>> For item 4, however, i can suggest pressing maybe Ctrl+M or right click.
>>
>> Stefan
>
> Thanks Stefan. I'll try the Ctrl+M. I tried a number of things including
> right-clicking, and several other things, but not Ctrl+M. Which I'm sure
> is described in some FAQ somewhere.
>
> As far as the other responses. I wrote here first, because it's not
> necessarily true that most of the things I reported are necessarily bugs,
> and bug lists are notorious for flaming people who submit things that are
> not considered bugs. Certainly, it could be argued they are wishlist
> items, but they go directly to usability. If you can't change the font
> size of the digital clock and it doesn't automatically resize itself when
> repositioned, that is not a a bug, but a design flaw and makes the clock
> unusable in any configuration than that which the author foresaw.

It IS a bug, as it is supposed to resize.

> Same thing with hiding the menu. If there is no easy and obvious way to
> restore the menu, that is a usability flaw. I don't have the time to
> search through piles of FAQs anymore, so if I need help with an
> application I go to the help for that application. A better usability
> function for KDE apps would be to include at least a link to the relevant
> parent WM help section on mouse and key bindings, which I'm assuming is
> where the Ctrl+M command is found. When I write help documents, I always
> include info on how to navigate an interface. While I realize, that it is
> unrealistic to expect every FOSS app to do the same. It would be a
> fantastic boost to usability if some method of rapid linking in FAQ based
> answers into apps for the WM which is in use. It would be better for the
> help system to do this so as to bypass the need for every project to do
> this.

The user used to be notified of the fact that when hiding the menu it
could be brought back with CTRL-M. At least, I remember something like
that...

> I wasn't really expecting bug help from the list. Since I wasn't certain
> they were all bugs. Sorry about the confusion. I'm good at that.
>
> Also, I was complaining about the awful panel, it's a leap backwards in
> usability. It's a showstopper for me. I have a 1280x800 screen and I need
> as much of that 800 as I can get. The panel for me needs to be small and
> readable if I must have it on the bottom, but to be usable needs to work
> well on the side. Furthermore, the default panel should include the hiding
> panel. But this may be a distro issue and not a KDE4 issue. I simple don't
> know which is why I posted on this list, as I figured the KDE4 experts
> would know.

These things have been/will be fixed in KDE 4.2, which is the first
KDE 4 release targeting the 'common user'. Blame your distribution for
shipping 4.1.x by default, and breaking stuff by backporting things
from the 4.2 branch.

> Hope at least some of this is useful for future usability design.
>
> Brian
>
> _______________________________________________
> kde-usability mailing list
> kde-usability@kde.org
> https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/kde-usability
>
_______________________________________________
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]