Re: [Gimp-gui] Simplifying The GIMP Menus

[john smith <kingstonflat gmail com>]

On 22/12/2015, Alexandre Prokoudine <alexandre prokoudine gmail com> wrote:
> On Tue, Dec 22, 2015 at 6:35 AM, john smith wrote:
> > Often you see people say that the GIMP is too complicated and they are
> > looking for a simpler alternative.
>
> Which is perfectly fine.
>
> > I think it would be a useful feature to have a tick box in the
> > preferences
> > that says "Simple Menus" and it hid all but the basic commands from the
> > Menu
> > Bar.
>
> John, I hope you will agree that complexity of software isn't solely
> defined by its menu structure and menu contents.
>
> Users would still get tools with tons of settings to understand. And
> all the filters that are preserved in the menu still have all the
> settings that have to be understood as well. And the save/export
> distinction will be preserved as well (which simpler apps don't
> usually have).
>
> Simpler software for image editing _really_ means a different approach
> towards building user interaction. Crippling the menu would get you
> maybe just 5% out of 100% there, and most likely in the wrong
> direction.
>
> Alex
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It is funny that you mention Save As/ Export as that was going to be
my next email :)
However, let's not get into that now!

I have simplified all of the menus including the tools menu. The
filters menu is another item that is not completely controlled by the
XML though.
Ideally I would remove most of them and leave just the most common ones behind.

My goal is to have a version that is easy (easier?/clearer?) to use
for people who are just trimming screenshots, cleaning up/rotating
scanned receipts, removing red-eye etc.

As long as most of the tools have useful defaults and they are named
in an intuitive way, and the interface isn't full of overwhelming
choices that you don't understand, I think it could become more
approachable for new people.

If this was a preference rather than editing XML people could
gradually progress to more advanced editing.

Anyway, that's my reasoning; are the items I mentioned in the original
email possible with the XML or do I have to fork it and modify the
source?

If I do have to modify the source, which classes should I look at?

Thanks

John