Re: [Gimp-developer] An update on the menu search

[peter sikking <peter mmiworks net>]

Srihari Sriraman wrote:

> can you give a statement what this is suppose to achieve.
> 
> Maximize productivity
>   Almost forget that there is a menu-bar. Use the mouse/touchpad lesser.

I accept the 3 points you write below, it is that
help/explore/documentation system I can see in this.

but the statement above? you do realise what GIMP is being
(re)designed for, no? it is for serious image manipulation,
seriously creative working and for production environments.

a lot of this work is hands-on on the canvas, in the context of the
graphics on the canvas, which are not like vector graphics or files
in a browser something that can be keyboard transversed.

the above requires that GIMP is a tool that gets out of the way,
by being visceral, part of motor memory. you tool is the
oposite of that, by users having to formula what they want
and type (part) in to get a query going then scan the results
and pick one, you get right in the way.

GIMP also requires that everything designed for it can support
working at a speed of 2 operations per second. just for a moment
say tick-tick-tick-tick-etc. at that speed. I do it every time
I bring this up in a lecture or when I teach interaction design.
it gets the point across right away.

so I have given you now 2 concrete requirements in a GIMP
context how you can prove the phrase "Maximize productivity."
one is even quantitate, which is rare in user interaction design.

tell me how you meet them. if you don't, you are providing
anti-usability. (that is apart from the help/explore/documentation
system below:)

> Intent driven rather than hierarchy driven navigation
>   Focus on 'what' rather than 'how'.
> Discover functionality
>   For new users
> Help transition
>   From proprietary software. "What is 'smth'  in GIMP?"

sorry to spoil the party, but to see how think this is a good thing,
when it can be so treacherous, is quite dangerous.

    --ps

        founder + principal interaction architect
            man + machine interface works

        http://blog.mmiworks.net: on interaction architecture