Re: Recently used applications

[Alan <alan ufies org>]

On Tue, Oct 29, 2002 at 04:39:45PM -0500, Jason A. Pfeil wrote:
> How do these users find the applications in the first place in order for
> them to be "recently used"?  Does XP start with that menu empty and then
> add the apps as the users find and run the apps, or does MS preload them
> with what they think the user would want to use?

XP starts with a reasonable list of apps IIRC, a web browser, email, the
XP tour, and a couple of others.  The apps on the list are then replaced
when other apps are used (mine has solitare right on top).

> I personally use the panel for my "frequently used apps" so might there
> be a way to make a recently/frequently used apps applet or have the
> panel be somewhat intelligent and have a designated "recently/frequently
> used apps" area?

I think the problem with this (unless it is something that puts apps in
a drawer or similar) is that you don't want to start making panel
buttons moving targets.  It's not Fitts' law, but it's one of the
usability things to not move things around that a user has grown used
to.  Having my panel change around all the time would bother me a bit (I
have a bottom panel with icons for terminal/web/home and then my window
list and pager).  

I think the "advantage" with the xp start menu (aside from the ability
to turn it off :) is that the start menu remains the same except for the
6 slots where the frequently used apps are (6 slots with the default
large icons that is).  The most frequently used app seems to end up at
the top, and seems to quite relably stay there, and not move around that
much. 

I recently saw something on themedepot that seemed like an interesting
re-creation of the xp start menu:

http://www.themedepot.org/itemdetail.php4?id=364  

I'm not sure if that project will fit in at all with this current
discussion, but I thought I'd point it out.


-- 
Alan "Arcterex" <alan ufies org>   -=][=-   http://arcterex.net
"I used to herd dairy cows. Now I herd lusers. Apart from the isolation, I
think I preferred the cows. They were better conversation, easier to milk, and
if they annoyed me enough, I could shoot them and eat them." -Rodger Donaldson