[KDE Usability] Please promote "Panel Options" to top-level status

[dotancohen]

Every so often I troll linux mailing lists asking KDE 3 users to tell
me what is preventing them from moving to KDE 4. One of the more
common complaints that I see is unintuitiveness. To tackle the issue,
a few days ago I gave some users a test to move the panel to a
different screen edge and to resize it. The result is this bug, please
comment:
https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=205402

Thanks!

--
Dotan Cohen

http://what-is-what.com
http://gibberish.co.il
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[macias]

On Thursday 27 August 2009 21:59:38 Dotan Cohen wrote:

> Every so often I troll linux mailing lists asking KDE 3 users to
> tell me what is preventing them from moving to KDE 4. One of the
> more common complaints that I see is unintuitiveness. To tackle the
> issue, a few days ago I gave some users a test to move the panel to
> a different screen edge and to resize it. The result is this bug,
> please comment:
> https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=205402

I am confused, so I answer here.

a) different edge, resize -- this feature is broken in KDE4 big way,
and I 100% agree it should be simplified (what's odd, that fix is
quite simple UI actually, and current UI, the broken one, is complex
on purpose)

b) but the report discusses submenu -- for example option if the panel
should be autohidden. How would you fit all those options into
panel "remote control"? This part honestly I don't see as
unintuitive -- rather the problem with UI of submenu itself, for
example lack of consistency with whole KDE (panel reinvents checked
items, reported, closed of course -- invalid/wontfix, I don't
remember)

Some mockups or longer explanation (how to do it, how do you see it)
would be helpful.

IMHO first the problem with (a) should be solved, and then (b). For
example -- I would say panel placement is complete waste, panel
height is mis-designed. I would opt for adding alignment to panel
control directly because it is 100% natural. And I would consider
seriously if panel control cannot be seen just as toolbar for panel.
I.e -- it would be up to user what kind of display is preferred --
icons only, with text? This way KDE could be smart and preserve space
on small screen, and make it comfortable for big screen and still
user could customize it.

Oh, the display of panel (options in submenu) maybe not put directly
to panel control (all of them) but making submenu solely for
them "panel display" -- it is more informative than "more settings"
(this provides _0_ info).


And off-topic, I am one of KDE3 users. It is not UI that keeps me in
KDE3 world, but a lot of regressions -- both in KDE4 and KDE4 apps.
Since I need certain features to maintain the productivity I don't
switch (it is not a complain here, I am just explaining).

And small piece from Dilbert world :-) Related and not related :-D
http://www.p2r.se/professional/images/dilbert-toUpdate.jpg

Cheers,
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[dotancohen]

2009/8/28 Maciej Pilichowski <bluedzins@...>:

> On Thursday 27 August 2009 21:59:38 Dotan Cohen wrote:
>
>> Every so often I troll linux mailing lists asking KDE 3 users to
>> tell me what is preventing them from moving to KDE 4. One of the
>> more common complaints that I see is unintuitiveness. To tackle the
>> issue, a few days ago I gave some users a test to move the panel to
>> a different screen edge and to resize it. The result is this bug,
>> please comment:
>> https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=205402
>
> I am confused, so I answer here.
>
> a) different edge, resize -- this feature is broken in KDE4 big way,
> and I 100% agree it should be simplified (what's odd, that fix is
> quite simple UI actually, and current UI, the broken one, is complex
> on purpose)
>
> b) but the report discusses submenu -- for example option if the panel
> should be autohidden. How would you fit all those options into
> panel "remote control"? This part honestly I don't see as
> unintuitive -- rather the problem with UI of submenu itself, for
> example lack of consistency with whole KDE (panel reinvents checked
> items, reported, closed of course -- invalid/wontfix, I don't
> remember)
>
> Some mockups or longer explanation (how to do it, how do you see it)
> would be helpful.
>
> IMHO first the problem with (a) should be solved, and then (b). For
> example -- I would say panel placement is complete waste, panel
> height is mis-designed. I would opt for adding alignment to panel
> control directly because it is 100% natural. And I would consider
> seriously if panel control cannot be seen just as toolbar for panel.
> I.e -- it would be up to user what kind of display is preferred --
> icons only, with text? This way KDE could be smart and preserve space
> on small screen, and make it comfortable for big screen and still
> user could customize it.
>
> Oh, the display of panel (options in submenu) maybe not put directly
> to panel control (all of them) but making submenu solely for
> them "panel display" -- it is more informative than "more settings"
> (this provides _0_ info).
>

Very simply, I think that this:
http://dotancohen.com/images/examples/panel_now.png

Should be changed to this:
http://dotancohen.com/images/examples/panel_proposed.png


> And off-topic, I am one of KDE3 users. It is not UI that keeps me in
> KDE3 world, but a lot of regressions -- both in KDE4 and KDE4 apps.
> Since I need certain features to maintain the productivity I don't
> switch (it is not a complain here, I am just explaining).
>

I did not mean that _all_ KDE 3 holdouts have the same reason, rather,
that this is a common reason. You will find me on the Kubuntu list,
Kubuntu-KDE3 list, Suse list, and other lists asking KDE 3 users what
is missing or wrong in KDE 4.


> And small piece from Dilbert world :-) Related and not related :-D
> http://www.p2r.se/professional/images/dilbert-toUpdate.jpg
>

That's great!

--
Dotan Cohen

http://what-is-what.com
http://gibberish.co.il
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[macias]

On Monday 31 August 2009 14:43:11 Dotan Cohen wrote:

> Very simply, I think that this:
> http://dotancohen.com/images/examples/panel_now.png
>
> Should be changed to this:
> http://dotancohen.com/images/examples/panel_proposed.png

Thank you for clarification. I though about panel control submenu, not
about panel menu submenu :-) Yes, you are right.

> I did not mean that _all_ KDE 3 holdouts have the same reason,
> rather, that this is a common reason.

Of course.

Cheers,
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[dotancohen]

>> Very simply, I think that this:
>> http://dotancohen.com/images/examples/panel_now.png
>>
>> Should be changed to this:
>> http://dotancohen.com/images/examples/panel_proposed.png
>
> Thank you for clarification. I though about panel control submenu, not
> about panel menu submenu :-) Yes, you are right.
>

Please comment on that bug, Maciej. I think that Aaron misunderstood
me as you did, closed the bug, and is now ignoring it. I know that the
problem is my English, not Aaron's understanding, but I would hate for
that to be the reason not to improve this sensitive area of KDE.
Thanks.


--
Dotan Cohen

http://what-is-what.com
http://gibberish.co.il
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