Re: [KDE Usability] KDE/kdebase/workspace/doc/kcontrol/colors

While discussing the doc for the color kcm, Arturo brought up an
interesting point. I'd like to also ask y'all at -usability if you have
anything to add.

For reference, the latest doc version is here:
http://websvn.kde.org/trunk/KDE/kdebase/workspace/doc/kcontrol/colors/index.docbook?view=markup

Arturo Silva wrote:

> The entire section from:
>
>     +  <para>The <guilabel>Common Colors</guilabel> set, which is displayed
>
> to
>
>     +  all, and can only be changed (if needed) by selecting the appropriate
>     +  set.</para>
>
> ...is not technically wrong -- in fact, it's admirably detailed.  However,
> it does seem like it goes into too great length to explain what Common
> Colors is, which, as I would describe it, is merely the "Simple View" of the
> Colors tab, whereas the View, Window, Button, Selection and Tooltip combined
> make up a kind of "Advanced View".
>
> Perhaps the detail is necessary after all since Common Colors is,
> unfortunately, mixed in with the other sets and easy to confuse as one.
>
> Perhaps this is really more of a UI issue, and could be fixed if that color
> set dropdown were replaced by a toggle between "Quickly Modify Common
> Colors" and "Fine Tune Color Sets", the latter of which would enable the
> dropdown with only View, Window, Button, Selection and Tooltip.

Hmm... that might work. On the down side, it is harder to "switch
modes"... but it might make things a bit less strange. Anyone else want
to weigh in?

(There are, in fact, some other advantages from a technical standpoint,
but nothing the user would notice.)

--
Matthew
Please do not quote my e-mail address unobfuscated in message bodies.
--
Hey! Where's the witty punchline?
(with apologies to Hostess)
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[macias]

On Wednesday 02 September 2009 17:58:55 Matthew Woehlke wrote:

> While discussing the doc for the color kcm, Arturo brought up an
> interesting point. I'd like to also ask y'all at -usability if you
> have anything to add.

I am not sure about what exactly (which part) :-)) but some various
remarks anyway...

> >     +  <para>The <guilabel>Common Colors</guilabel> set, which is
> > displayed
> >
> > to
> >
> >     +  all, and can only be changed (if needed) by selecting the
> > appropriate +  set.</para>

And if not needed -- can user change it? OK, I am a picky person, but
here the extending the length is not useful nor informative.

The same for "only". I don't get the phrase "displayed to all".

> whereas the View,
> > Window, Button, Selection and Tooltip combined make up a kind of
> > "Advanced View".

I hope phrase "advanced view" won't appear because it is over-used and
currently says nothing.

> > Perhaps this is really more of a UI issue, and could be fixed if
> > that color set dropdown were replaced by a toggle between
> > "Quickly Modify Common Colors" and "Fine Tune Color Sets", the
> > latter of which would enable the dropdown with only View, Window,
> > Button, Selection and Tooltip.
>
> Hmm... that might work. On the down side, it is harder to "switch
> modes"... but it might make things a bit less strange. Anyone else
> want to weigh in?

You mean having a dropdown makes harder to switch? I would opt for
having such choices:
* common colors
* view colors
* window colors
* button colors
* etc etc etc

So the first entry would be really common (basic) colors, the rest
would be category by category. The image above would be nice with
active regions. You click on "tooltip" (the image) you get tooltip
set (the image is changed to tooltip only _preview_).
 
I hope I was not totally off-topic :-)

Cheers,
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Maciej Pilichowski wrote:

> On Wednesday 02 September 2009 17:58:55 Matthew Woehlke wrote:
>> Arturo Silva wrote:
>>>     +  <para>The <guilabel>Common Colors</guilabel> set, which is
>>> displayed
>>>
>>> to
>>>
>>>     +  all, and can only be changed (if needed) by selecting the
>>> appropriate +  set.</para>
>
> And if not needed -- can user change it? OK, I am a picky person, but
> here the extending the length is not useful nor informative.
>
> The same for "only". I don't get the phrase "displayed to all".

You are confused by insufficient context and what looks like bad quoting
(it isn't; those blank lines are supposed to be there, the only quoting
issue is that the diff lines got wrapped). There is a really big
ellipses (several sentences omitted) between "displayed" and "all",
represented by the word "to".

The point here wasn't about the doc, though I'd be happy to hear your
critique of that also, if you want. However, if you comment on the doc,
please refer to the complete latest svn version, which I linked in the
previous message, rather than partly-quoted diffs :-).

>> whereas the View,
>>> Window, Button, Selection and Tooltip combined make up a kind of
>>> "Advanced View".
>
> I hope phrase "advanced view" won't appear because it is over-used and
> currently says nothing.

I'd use "Advanced >>". But this is an interesting counter-point.

>>> Perhaps this is really more of a UI issue, and could be fixed if
>>> that color set dropdown were replaced by a toggle between
>>> "Quickly Modify Common Colors" and "Fine Tune Color Sets", the
>>> latter of which would enable the dropdown with only View, Window,
>>> Button, Selection and Tooltip.
>> Hmm... that might work. On the down side, it is harder to "switch
>> modes"... but it might make things a bit less strange. Anyone else
>> want to weigh in?
>
> You mean having a dropdown makes harder to switch? I would opt for
> having such choices:
> * common colors
> * view colors
> * window colors
> * button colors
> * etc etc etc

That's what we have now. The proposal was to have instead of the
dropdown an "Advanced >>" button. In "advanced" mode, there would be a
dropdown with view, window, button, etc., but no common (and of course a
"Simple <<" button to go back to the list of "basic" colors).

> I hope I was not totally off-topic :-)

Nope. But it sounds like you don't like the idea? That is okay, if you
think the current system is better, well, that's why I asked over here :-).

--
Matthew
Please do not quote my e-mail address unobfuscated in message bodies.
--
Hey! Where's the witty punchline?
(with apologies to Hostess)

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[macias]

On Wednesday 02 September 2009 18:55:10 Matthew Woehlke wrote:

> The point here wasn't about the doc, though I'd be happy to hear
> your critique of that also, if you want. However, if you comment on
> the doc, please refer to the complete latest svn version, which I
> linked in the previous message, rather than partly-quoted diffs
> :-).

Ok, so here, to avoid the mess, I only keep my objections against "if
needed".

> That's what we have now. The proposal was to have instead of the
> dropdown an "Advanced >>" button. In "advanced" mode, there would
> be a dropdown with view, window, button, etc., but no common (and
> of course a "Simple <<" button to go back to the list of "basic"
> colors).

-1 vote for such change. Even with better wording instead
of "advanced" it adds complexity.

With "common colors" being default item (and first) I don't see a
danger to weekend-user.

If anything, active image to pick up the colors would be much more
helpful. MS Windows has such mechanism.

Cheers,
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