Re: [evolution-patches] 57653 & 57654 : toolbar and sidebar visibility

[William Jon McCann <mccannwj pha jhu edu>]

Hi Rodney,

Rodney Dawes wrote:
> The "sidebar" here isn't a typical "sidebar" as in other applications,
> such as web browsers or file managers.   It is a core piece of the
> interface, and the sole method of accessing your data.   Without the
> sidebar displayed, the user loses the ability to change components in
> the application window, switch folders, enable/disable calendars, or
> see important information about the current folder, such as the number
> of mails that are in it.

So you have raised a few issues.  I'll try to respond to them.

First, the default is that the sidebar should be visible.  The user 
would have to make a decision to hide the sidebar.  It is a decision 
that is easily reversed.

*While* the sidebar is hidden:

1. "the user loses the ability to change components in the application 
window"

I believe strongly that the inability to switch components except by the 
component buttons is a bug.  We should have individual menu items in the 
GNOME menus and possibly a way to switch components from the evolution 
shell menus.

It is really odd to tell users that they need to start up the mail 
program to access the calendar.

2. "the user loses the ability switch folders"

This only applies to the mail component.  It is possible that the user 
of the mail component will never hide the sidebar.  Then again they may 
wish to use the full screen width to view their messages in the preview 
pane.

Thunderbird and Mozilla (suite) Mail have the same issues and both allow 
you to hide the sidebar.

3. "the user loses the ability enable/disable calendars"

True.  But only while the sidebar is hidden.  The advantage is that the 
user can maximize the size of the calendar content.

I think most people will not diddle around with sources that much.

4. "the user loses the ability to see important information about the 
current folder"

This is a touchy one, right?  I'll just say that most applications solve 
this problem in different ways.  This problem is mostly an artifact of 
the nature of application suites.

This mostly applies to the mail component.  That is really the only 
place where you *need* such info displayed.

Seems to me that the info that is shown for the calendar would be better 
displayed in the window title.  Especially, since as it is it takes up 
around one third of my screen width.

> If we are going to allow hiding the sidebar in this manner, then we need
> some way to access these pieces of information while it is not visible.
> The user needs to know where new mail is, or what calendars are in view.

Agreed.  The difference is that they don't *need* to see these things 
all the time.

> The user needs to be able to switch components in the main UI. 

If this is true, then it is still possible in the default mode when the 
sidebar is visible and could also be made available in the shell menus.

> I am very
> skeptical of how allowing the user to disable the sidebar improves on
> the usability of evolution for a large group of people at all.

Being skeptical is probably the right attitude!  I such discussion can 
only improve the result.

It is a dramatic usability improvement for users with small displays.

Allowing the user to reducing the amount of information on screen at any 
one time improves usability (aka focus).

> It is
> understood that you like the idea, and are a very advanced user of the
> application, but I don't think it makes sense for most of the people out
> there.

I don't believe that how I use evolution is so different from most people.

Try the patch yourself - give it a chance.

Thanks,
Jon