'[KDE Usability] Re: Request for help with design'

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List: kde-usability
Subject: [KDE Usability] Re: Request for help with design
From: Artem Serebriyskiy <v.for.vandal () gmail ! com>
Date: 2011-07-05 13:45:02
Message-ID: CAJU16cMDN=oeVkEfkaUX1SFMJWeW8xT2oAwpoTVi-zccSktGQg () mail ! gmail ! com
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It looks like some of my messages weren't approved my moderator. So I repost
it with reduced size.

Yes. Screenshots are in reviewboard
issue<https://git.reviewboard.kde.org/r/101786/>. Direct link is:
https://git.reviewboard.kde.org/r/101786/s/192/

Below is the summary of Nepomuk structure and list of information available
to the GUI.
The application is system tray applet for Nepomuk. Nepomuk consists from
several services. There is a plugin for every service. Every plugin exports
to GUI info about service( listed below):

 Every service is described with status( integer constant):
NotStarted - aka disabled by user
Launching - intermediate state. Usually lasts several miliseconds if no
error occured.
Running - launched and working
Idle - Launched, but don't do anything usefull right now
Suspended - Launched, but suspended either automatically or by user
Failed - some error occur, it can be DBus errror or service error.

Some services provides status messages, like "Indexing folder XXX"

All services are separated into 2 groups : services, that are usefull for
user. E.g. "Strigi" or "Backup" and services, that are not usefull for user
( Nepomuk system services )

Plugin is KXmlGuiClient and export 2 menus - one for context menu for system
tray icon, one - for button 'Actions'.

Every plugin has 2 operation modes: 'user' and 'advanced'. These 2 models
_only_ differ  in exporting extra actions to the menus.

And of course, the name and description of the service is available to the
GUI.

That is currently all info, that plugin export to GUI. But I am open for
implementing methods if there will be necessity in extra information.

Currently, applet creates one standard widget for every service. It is shown
on the first picture. If 'Show all services' is checked, then all widgets
are shown, if unchecked - only widges from first group.

Tooltip prints one of:
"All services running"
"Not running X Running Y", X,Y - numbers
"No service running"
(This is unlocalized strings of course. No idea what they will be after
translation )

I am linking to<http://wstaw.org/m/2011/07/05/screenshot_nepomuksystemtray-xephyr2.png>one
more screenshot of current [lack of] design.

That's what Trueg told me ( copied from reviewboard ) :
1. The systray tooltip provides information about the
number of running services. This is of no interest to the user. The current
systray shows the indexing state. While this is rather random it puts users
at ease when nepomuk uses resources. It might make more sense to allow the
plugins to provide useful information in some way (that is if you are fixed
on the whole plugin design which IMHO is a bit over-engineered).

2. The main widget is not very pretty. It shows non-localized service names
and uses a list with buttons that do not fit the rest of KDE. It would be
much more helpful to have generic information in there like the current
systray widget does. Seeing the state of services is not interesting to the
user. It is an implementation detail!

On Tue, Jul 5, 2011 at 7:51 AM, Artem Serebriyskiy
<v.for.vandal@gmail.com>wrote:

> Sure, I am also attaching my mockup.
>
> But it has pretty much the same appearence as existing widget on
> screenshots I sent before.
>
>
>
> On Tue, Jul 5, 2011 at 1:56 AM, David Edmundson <
> david@davidedmundson.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> I'm not one to normally post on this list, but from a developer POV,
>> you get a lot of useful feedback if you say:
>> "Here is my mockup, this shows the functionality I want - can you guys
>> spot anything wrong with it and give some advice on how to improve
>> it?"
>>
>> Your mockup can be pretty lazy, I do mine just in scribbles on a piece
>> of paper then take a photo to show my colleagues to talk through and
>> identify problems.
>>
>> You'll get more useful feedback if you have a go at it first.
>> Especially as you probably have the greatest idea of the requirements
>> of this application and know what it is meant to do than anyone else.
>>
>> 2011/7/4 Lukas <1lukas1@gmail.com>:
>> > Hi
>> >
>> > What exactly your app does? Do you have some screenshots how does it
>> look
>> > now? :)
>> >
>> > Cheers,
>> > Lukas
>> >
>> > 2011/7/4 Artem Serebriyskiy <v.for.vandal@gmail.com>
>> >>
>> >> Hi!
>> >>
>> >> I have created new application - applet for system tray for Nepomuk.
>> But
>> >> the 'person in charge'(Sebastian Trueg) asked me to redesign the view
>> before
>> >> merge. I would like someone to create a mockup of design and I will
>> >> implement it.
>> >> Other developers redirected me to this mailing list. So, is this the
>> >> correct place to ask for such kind of help ? If yes, then how should I
>> make
>> >> a request ? Should I post it here or may be create a wish in bugzilla ?
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > 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
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Sincerely yours,
> Artem Serebriyskiy
>

-- 
Sincerely yours,
Artem Serebriyskiy

[Attachment #5 (text/html)]

It looks like some of my messages weren&#39;t approved my moderator. So I repost it \
with reduced size. Yes. Screenshots are in reviewboard <a \
href="https://git.reviewboard.kde.org/r/101786/" target="_blank">issue</a> . Direct \
link is: <a href="https://git.reviewboard.kde.org/r/101786/s/192/" \
target="_blank">https://git.reviewboard.kde.org/r/101786/s/192/</a>

Below is the summary of Nepomuk structure and list of information available to \
the GUI. The application is system tray applet for Nepomuk. Nepomuk consists from \
 several services. There is a plugin for every service. Every plugin 
exports to GUI info about service( listed below): 
 Every service is described with status( integer constant): NotStarted - aka \
disabled by user Launching - intermediate state. Usually lasts several miliseconds \
if no error occured. Running - launched and working

Idle - Launched, but don&#39;t do anything usefull right now<br>Suspended - Launched, \
but suspended either automatically or by user<br>Failed - some error occur, it can be \
DBus errror or service error.<br><br>Some services provides status messages, like \
&quot;Indexing folder XXX&quot;<br>

All services are separated into 2 groups : services, that are 
usefull for user. E.g. &quot;Strigi&quot; or &quot;Backup&quot; and services, that \
are not usefull for user ( Nepomuk system services ) Plugin is \
KXmlGuiClient and export 2 menus - one for context menu for system tray icon, one - \
for button &#39;Actions&#39;. Every plugin has 2 operation modes: \
&#39;user&#39; and &#39;advanced&#39;. These 2 models _only_ differ in exporting \
extra actions to the menus. And of course, the name and description of the \
service is available to the GUI. That is currently all info, that plugin \
export to GUI. But I am open for implementing methods if there will be necessity in \
extra information. Currently, applet creates one standard widget for 
every service. It is shown on the first picture. If &#39;Show all services&#39; 
is checked, then all widgets are shown, if unchecked - only widges from 
first group. 
 Tooltip prints one of: &quot;All services running&quot; &quot;Not running \
X Running Y&quot;, X,Y - numbers &quot;No service running&quot; (This is \
unlocalized strings of course. No idea what they will be after translation )

<br>I am <a href="http://wstaw.org/m/2011/07/05/screenshot_nepomuksystemtray-xephyr2.png">linking \
to</a> one more screenshot of current [lack of] design.<br><br>That&#39;s what Trueg \
told me ( copied from reviewboard ) :<br>

1. The systray tooltip provides information about the number
 of running services. This is of no interest to the user. The current 
systray shows the indexing state. While this is rather random it puts 
users at ease when nepomuk uses resources. It might make more sense to 
allow the plugins to provide useful information in some way (that is if 
you are fixed on the whole plugin design which IMHO is a bit 
over-engineered). 
 2. The main widget is not very pretty. It shows non-localized 
service names and uses a list with buttons that do not fit the rest of 
KDE. It would be much more helpful to have generic information in there 
like the current systray widget does. Seeing the state of services is 
not interesting to the user. It is an implementation detail! <div \
class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Jul 5, 2011 at 7:51 AM, Artem Serebriyskiy &lt;<a href="mailto:v.for.vandal@gmail.com">v.for.vandal@gmail.com</a>&gt; \
wrote:

<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc \
solid;padding-left:1ex;">Sure, I am also attaching my mockup. But it has \
pretty much the same appearence as existing widget on screenshots I sent before.<div>

<div></div><div class="h5"><br><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Jul 5, 2011 \
at 1:56 AM, David Edmundson <span dir="ltr">&lt;<a \
href="mailto:david@davidedmundson.co.uk" \
target="_blank">david@davidedmundson.co.uk</a>&gt;</span> wrote:<br>

<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc \
solid;padding-left:1ex"> I&#39;m not one to normally post on this list, but from a \
developer POV, you get a lot of useful feedback if you say: 
&quot;Here is my mockup, this shows the functionality I want - can you guys 
spot anything wrong with it and give some advice on how to improve 
it?&quot; 
 
Your mockup can be pretty lazy, I do mine just in scribbles on a piece 
of paper then take a photo to show my colleagues to talk through and 
identify problems. 
 
You&#39;ll get more useful feedback if you have a go at it first. 
Especially as you probably have the greatest idea of the requirements 
of this application and know what it is meant to do than anyone else. 
 
2011/7/4 Lukas &lt;<a href="mailto:1lukas1@gmail.com" \
target="_blank">1lukas1@gmail.com</a>&gt;: <div><div></div><div>&gt; Hi 
&gt; 
&gt; What exactly your app does? Do you have some screenshots how does it look 
&gt; now? :) 
&gt; 
&gt; Cheers, 
&gt; Lukas 
&gt; 
&gt; 2011/7/4 Artem Serebriyskiy &lt;<a href="mailto:v.for.vandal@gmail.com" \
target="_blank">v.for.vandal@gmail.com</a>&gt; &gt;&gt; 
&gt;&gt; Hi! 
&gt;&gt; 
&gt;&gt; I have created new application - applet for system tray for Nepomuk. But 
&gt;&gt; the &#39;person in charge&#39;(Sebastian Trueg) asked me to redesign the \
view before &gt;&gt; merge. I would like someone to create a mockup of design and \
I will &gt;&gt; implement it. 
&gt;&gt; Other developers redirected me to this mailing list. So, is this the 
&gt;&gt; correct place to ask for such kind of help ? If yes, then how should I \
make &gt;&gt; a request ? Should I post it here or may be create a wish in \
bugzilla ? &gt; 
</div></div><div><div></div><div>&gt; \
_______________________________________________ &gt; kde-usability mailing \
list &gt; <a href="mailto:kde-usability@kde.org" \
target="_blank">kde-usability@kde.org</a> &gt; <a \
href="https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/kde-usability" \
target="_blank">https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/kde-usability</a> &gt; 
&gt; 
_______________________________________________ 
kde-usability mailing list 
<a href="mailto:kde-usability@kde.org" target="_blank">kde-usability@kde.org</a> 
<a href="https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/kde-usability" \
target="_blank">https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/kde-usability</a> \
</div></div></blockquote></div> </div></div>-- Sincerely \
yours, Artem Serebriyskiy \
</blockquote></div> -- Sincerely yours, Artem \
Serebriyskiy

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