Re: Prerelease of 0.94 is out

[Alan Horkan <horkana maths tcd ie>]

On Wed, 14 Jul 2004, Roland Stigge wrote:

> Date: Wed, 14 Jul 2004 22:23:03 +0200
> From: Roland Stigge <stigge antcom de>
> Reply-To: discussions about usage and development of dia
>     <dia-list gnome org>
> To: discussions about usage and development of dia <dia-list gnome org>
> Subject: Re: Prerelease of 0.94 is out
>
> On Wed, 2004-07-14 at 20:21, Alan Horkan wrote:
> > > Dia now opens a new diagram when started without arguments. Is this
> > > intended or debug code?
> >
> > I believe that it makes sense and because it means you are ready to start
> > that little bit sooner it feels almost faster.
> >
> > Do you dislike it?  Is it very annoying or just surprising?
>
> It's surprising. Just noticed it switching from 0.93 to the new
> prerelease.
>
> Consider: Other programs (GIMP) don't do it.

I did consider but then I must also consider if the if the other programs
even considered the idea and concluded that I'd still like for Dia to
try it and be willing to try it be willing to take the lead.

Dia had a document menubar long before other programs did, other programs
resisted the idea but eventually added it and even went so far as to turn
it on by default to accomodate ordinary users.

> I don't know if we should really try to predict what users want. Do you
> think a user starting dia wants to create a new diagram in most cases?

Is predicting what the users want not a part of what developement is
about?  It is not so much predicting what users want so much as trying out
something that I as a user wanted.

I think it is reasonable to optimize for the base case (the obvious
response to which is that I am aiming at the lowest common denominator but
I accept that).

> Personally, I'm going to open existing diagrams after starting dia. What
> about you?

Sometime I'll be opening existing diagrams from within Dia usually from
the Recent menu [1] but more often I will be opening them from the file
manager (be it Nautilus or Windows Explorer).  I tend to make lots of
smaller simpler documents than long and detailed ones that require lots of
sessions working on them.

> > Ideally if you open a new document without touching that first document it
> > would be replaced by the new document rather than hanging around but I
> > dont expect it does that yet.
>
> When with "new document" you mean "old document", and with "first
> document" you mean "new document", I understand. :-)
>
> Good idea. Currently, the empty document stays even if I just want to
> edit my other, already existing document.

I think the concept is sound with a little refinement it will become less
intrusive for more experienced users like yourself that have no need for
it.

It is entirely possible that I am far too used to having an SDI interface
and expect a blank document to start with.  I must say I find the change
in behaviour very comfortable but if people are willing to give it a
try for a release or two and still dont like it I wont complain if people
decide to remove it.

Sincerely

Alan H.


> bye,
>   Roland

[1] I'm trying to figure out how to have a submenu for Open Recent in both
Toolbox and Document window for greater consistancy.