Re: [Gimp-developer] GIMP useability - choosing linear vs perceptually uniform RGB

[Ofnuts <ofnuts gmx com>]

On 01/05/15 04:00, Gez wrote:
> Hi Elle,
> You know I'm with you regarding giving users more control over how
> operations are performed, but tossing buttons for toggling between
> linear and perceptual everywhere in the UI is not a proper solution.
> It would be extremely confusing, and people would start toggling them
> randomly without knowing what exactly they are for, and only a few
> people would benefit from it.
> I think that allowing that would complicate the UI and the the tools
> themselves, as all of them should have both paths available.
> A better solution would probably have to wait until proper
> no-destructive editing is finally implemented, and operations are
> visualized as a stack/chain/whatever.
> I mean, instead of putting toggles on EVERYTHING, why not adding a tool
> that says "from this point, the following operation/s will be performed
> in linear/perceptual gamma"?
> People used to node-based UIs will understand exactly what I mean.
> The difference would be that only users who need the toggle will add an
> operation that makes the switch when it's required. The UI will remain
> lean, without extra options that could potentially confuse less advanced
> users.

It depends a bit what the workflow is. If users need to switch all tools 
at random between linear and perceptual, this will be complicated. But 
if you can categorize workflows into those that are always perceptual, 
those that are always linear, and those that are "let the tool choose 
what is more appropriate", then the only thing needed is a state 
indicator in the context, like "antialiasing" or "feather". Ah, but 
antialiasing and feather are in the individual tool options so we don't 
gain much... OTOH we start having a good excuse for a context 
dialog/widget, and isn't that exactly what the toolbox is already, with 
the color swashes and the brush/pattern/gradient display?