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List:       koffice-devel
Subject:    Re: Usability Topics
From:       Boudewijn Rempt <boud () valdyas ! org>
Date:       2010-08-24 7:09:56
Message-ID: 201008240909.56410.boud () valdyas ! org
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On Monday 23 August 2010, Thomas Zander wrote:
> On Monday 23. August 2010 20.32.30 Thorsten Zachmann wrote:
> > I would like to avoid to need an extra click for activating a tool just
> > for  changing the color of a shape. It is something I do quite often and I
> > think also artists do quite often so having first to activate a tool
> > should be avoided in my opinion.
> 
> This misses the basic premise the tool system was designed for.  Its workflow 
> based and by grouping the features in the tool we avoid clicking, not add extra 
> ones.

Actually, having next to tools, inspector widgets that can modify the properties of the \
currently selected shape(s) has been part of the flake design since the beginning. The original \
group of flake designers (me, Thorsten, Casper, Rob, Peter) never intended to have everything \
go through tools. These inspector widgets have quite an ancient pedigree, having appeared in \
NextStep and are still being heavily used in Apple's office suite.

Tools were never intended to be merely the way to conveniently open an inspector widget, they \
are for on-canvas manipulation.

Now, the confusion between tool option widgets and inspector widgets is the source of the \
usability problem. What we need first, before moving even more functionality to tools is to \
define a good taxonomy of all the dockers we have. Then determine what each type of docker is \
used for, and then figure out ways to present that in the clearest way possible to the user. 

And then we need to figure out a way to curb the excesses of the tool system, like having to \
                select the text tool before being able to click on a url.
-- 
Boudewijn Rempt | http://www.valdyas.org
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