Re: [Evolution] Usability issues and bugs - wherefore the keyboard?

[Eric Lambart <lambart got net>]

On Wed, 2001-09-19 at 21:33, dpeterso ne orst edu wrote:
> On 19 Sep 2001, Eric Lambart had this to say:
> > I hate pointing devices in general though moving to linux from Windoze
> > has forced me to get used to it (one can do almost ANYTHING in Windows
>
> This is funny to me.  Windows was designed to keep you away from the
> keyboard and just use a pointer, linux is primarily console-cased.
> Actually, I don't think there's much you can't do using the keyboard in
> linux either...
>
> Cheers,
> -Don

I'll admit that with sawfish, keyboard support for the GUI in general is
wonderfully customizable--and when I occasionally have to use Windows, I
miss some of that "extra" power (just try maximizing a window
vertically-only in Windows!  In linux I do it with a Ctrl-Alt-M).

But with Evolution, try (for example) moving my message to another
folder.  When you've got it selected, hit Ctrl-Shift-M.  Good.  Now
you've got a pretty little window.  Now, let's see what can you do with
the keyboard while you're there.

1) If you've already got a folder selected from the last time you did
it, you can probably focus and use space to select OK.  

2) You can use Tab and select "New", but then just TRY creating a new
folder without the mouse!!  Forget it.

3) You can also Tab to and hit "Cancel".

This is one of many features in Evolution, and many things in the linux
desktop world in general that has broken, or near-broken, keyboard
support (for crying out loud, how come not a single Yes/No dialog box
allows you to simply press Y or N?!!).  Partial support is little better
than no support at all, because once I reach for my trackball I might as
well keep my hand there anyway.

I started using computers before anyone I know had heard of a "mouse",
and accepted them only grudgingly because they are indeed better for
some things.

Of course we as people also all different, and that's good.  You don't
have to like the keyboard, you don't have to hate mice.  But I still 
find it really depressing that Microsoft, who probably has a smaller
percentage of its user base (maybe 5%?) that actually cares about this,
does a near-perfect job of supporting the keyboard than a bunch of
hackers who live and breathe the stuff as a passion.  As a programmer
myself, I find it hard to believe that ANY other programmer--presumably
also fairly knowledgeable "power" user--would prefer using a mouse to a
keyboard.  Some of my coworkers fit into this category, so I know this
isn't true, but I can't pretend to understand this.

This has turned into a bit of rant, and although it might be slightly
impolite to do so, it's not completely off-topic so I'm going to CC it
back to the Evolution list.  I would love to hear feedback from both
sides of the issue.

Cheers
--Eric