Re: Suggestions from a User

[Alan Horkan <horkana maths tcd ie>]

On Mon, 19 Jun 2006 d2004 cosmopod com wrote:

> Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2006 17:57:44 -0700
> From: d2004 cosmopod com
> To: desktop-devel-list gnome org
> Subject: Suggestions from a User
>
> Dear GNOME Developers,
>
> I am an end-user wishing to supply some feedback/suggestions on
> improving our Desktop Environment.

For future reference it can be quite difficult to address all points of a
long list so it might be best trying to stick to one or two points per
mail (and I say that as someone who tries to be succint but I usually
sending long verbose messages which dont get the best response).

> 3.  I believe it has been discussed before but it would be more logical for
> deleted emails to be treated as higher level objects and go to system trash
> rather than a deleted mail folder.  This would make system trash a universal
> repository for deleted data.

If you are using Maildir the each individual message is already a
seperate file but other implementations work quite differently.  Very
interesting idea but I wonder how difficult it might be to implent it.

> 5.  One feature I greatly miss from GEdit is a "block select" function to cut
> and past "blocks" of mono-spaced text.  KATE and gVIM have this functionality
> and, even for non-programmers, it is extremely handy.

> 7.  One problem with all browsers, is that, to save individual images, the

Historically the two major browser manufacturers had other vested
interests, Netscape in particular sold web server software and weren't
exactly enthusiastic about tools which made it really easy for users to
leech and scape content off the web (took forever before they added "Save
Complete Web Page").

I put some effort into learning wget which makes it easier to scrape large
batches of files from the internet but there should some graphical
download tools out there to help too.

I expect Epiphany might be interested in offering the feature you want but
the risk might be if this feature ("save images only") didn't clutter
things up and confuse users but maybe it would work out nicely.  File a
request in bugzilla, the Epiphany developers might be happy to add your
suggestion (I wonder if it might be possible to create a firefox extension
to do the same or if one already exists?)

> it.  This seems to be another major hoe we need to plug sooner rather than
> later.

<snicker>

> 11.  As that same message notes, DTP is a hole on Linux at the moment.

Scribus is pretty good.  I would much rather see infrastructure improved
so QT and KDE applcations can integrate nicely into a GNOME desktop than
anything else.  Passepartout is an interesting application and it might be
able to carve out a niche for basic publishing but it needs more
developers (what project doesn't!).

> Whilst there are a few good applications, such as Scribus and
> KreetingKard, to appeal to two levels of developer, there are no
> GTK-based equivalents to promote healthy competition.

I've heard good things about Glabels.
http://glabels.sourceforge.net/

> are rarely included on distributions.

When more distributions switch to using a DVD (as opposed to CDs) as their
primary format things might change and more software might be offered by
default.

> 12.  Whilst Nautilus is a fine file BROWSER(and I greatly like the spatial
> mode)  I tend to agree with a few people who have cited the need for a file
> MANIPULATION TOOL as well, for such tasks as renaming, printing lists of
> directory structures and so on.  Obviously such is readily done from within
> the Shell but it would be great if a GNOME tool could do the same.

The following bug report might be of interest:
"rename multiple files at once"
http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=306489

I wouldn't mind a tool which could take a look at all my downloads and
allow me to sort them or set up filters as easily as I can do for incoming
mail.  A tool which was able to group files with common name patterns (or
size, date, time, patterns) and then offer to sort them and put them in
subfolders could be quite useful too.  (A few years ago I vaguely recall
looking at a tidy/cleanup tool which amongst other things would help you
clear out empty unused folders but I doubt I'd be able to find it again.)

> 13.  For those managing small networks, it would be great to have
> the /etc/MOTD file (Message of the Day) appear each time users log in.

This question has been answered before, I believe they recommended some
combination of Zenity and MOTD.

> be handy.  Obviously, an ability to disable it would be needed and it should
> not be activated by default or it would be intrusive to those people with
> single-user systems.

(I should warn you this kind of thing sounds quite annoying and likely to
be ignored by most users even if the intentions behind it are good.)

> 14.  Without any empirical evidence of improved usability, I do like the
> concept of circular menus mentioned here:
> http://www.daimi.au.dk/~kamstrup/articles/G3-ideas.html

I've tried two drawing applications for windows, Alias Sketch and another
very similar program called Artrage both of which make small use of
circular menus and it can be quite useful.  I wouldn't think it would
suitable in most cases, best left to pen driven interfaces or applications
which mostly use the mouse.

> 15.  My final request is a purely personal indulgence.  It would be great to
> have a GNOME chess game.  With the Gnuchess engine available, I am surprised
> no one has included a GTK-based GNOME game due to this pasttime's enduring
> popularity, so I would like to lobby for this!

Many chess games exist already and I believe there are a few GTK chess
games if you go out and look for them.  You wouldn't believe the work
required to maintain Gnome games.

> That is the sum of my input.  I hope that at least some of my ideas are
> helpful or generate constructive discussion.  I look forward to your
> feedback.

I would have replied sooner but your message contained so many small
points it took a very long time to respond to them.  A few short points is
often better, and taking your suggestions directly to the developers (of
Nautilus, and Epiphany) is more likely to get relevant responses.

> I am a newbie here, so do not be too cruel!  I realise that soe of
> these proposals would be huge work but they are simply ideas of things I
> would like to see.

-- 
Alan