[Evolution-hackers] Filling in the Menu Bar: UI questions



Hello all.

I was just going through the docs and replacing "Configure Camel
Providers" with "Mail Configuration" (a wording change of which I
heartily approve, btw), and I began to think of what menu items should
go into which menus and submenus and what they should be called, and
what the logical shortcuts would be.  Please forgive me if these issues
have already come up... 
but otherwise I'd like to know what people think about how we're going
to be using the menu bar:

For example, should "Expunge" be under Tools or Actions? (it's an
action, because it's what you're doing, but it's a tool, because it's
related to the trash-can, which is a tool.)  and should it really be
called "Expunge"?  would "Empty Trash" be more friendly or would it be
inaccurate?

How about "New Meeting Request"-- should that really be Ctrl-Shift-Q,
given that Ctrl-Q is quit?

Or the Edit menu in the calendar view-- we've got "New Appointment" and
"New Appointment for Today" and "Preferences" there.  New appointment is
also under File, but why is the calendar config under "Edit" (which is
where I look for my prefs, btw), but the Mail Config is under Tools? (A
wizard is a tool, vs. you edit your preferences,)  And while we're at
it, can we call it something other than "Preferences," so that it
doesn't sound so global? can we call it "Calendar Settings" or "Calendar
Configuration"

I'm assuming that these sorts of UI inconsistencies are a result of our
building-from-the-backend, and I know that they're minor and relatively
easy to change..  They do, however, deserve a few moments of our time
and a few processor cycles of our consideration. 

Although "doing it the logical way" is important, I think it's more
important that Evolution end up with a cohesive interface-- so that
whatever item deletion is called and wherever it's located it's always
in the same place and called the same thing.   Meaning, I think that
whatever we pick, it's important that we pick something and not just let
it happen.

This might mean writing up guidelines and adhering to them (heresy!). 
It might just mean picking one way and and then people following the
example.

So, ye hackers-- how will you have the minutae of your UI?

yours,
aaron.




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