Re: [g-a-devel] GNOME3

[Smitten <bittenbyapenguin gmail com>]

Thank you for your response, and for the links. Extremely helpful. I hope I did this right. I sent to the list and to you. It's been a VERY long time since I worked through lists. *grin*

With reference to:

>>. Instead of going to the Applications view, I think
is more sensible to configure the dash with your >>favorite applications

How do you add applications to the dash which are not found in the applications menu? For example, I have installed xmag for a few of the users and I haven't found a way to add it to the dash. Drag and drop from the folder didn't work. Trying to drag the icon to the dash while the application was running didn't work. I have reverted to the old desktop and added it there, but I would like to use it as intended. I haven't tried GNOME Magnifier yet, as I have to install. 

The residents can't really save anything to the computer, as it's used by all, so they leave pictures in their eMail boxes. They use xmag to enlarge pictures of their grandkids which are embedded in the eMails as one example.

With regards to:

>>In fact, the GNOME design team has put special care to ensure that it
>>can be used by those who have a low level of pointer control, either
>>because they are not well practised at using pointing devices or our
>>software, because they might not have good control over the hand and
>>fingers, or because they are using low quality hardware.

It takes more positioning of the mouse to navigate. Even if all you have to do is hover, the difficulty is getting the mouse pointer in position. If you increase the number of times, or increase the distance, the mouse has to be repositioned, you increase the difficulty of using your application for persons who have little control. For example I can't even switch between desktops (with a mouse) without first clicking on Activities, then moving to the opposite side of the page to nudge the widow that contains the desktops, and finally clicking on the desktop. Then I have to repeat it all to get back. Formerly I just clicked once on a window in the panel and I was there. There's an enormous amount of repositioning the mouse! She can't use keyboard shortcuts! She only has two fingers mobile on one hand. How can she press Ctrl, Alt, Tab? I found that one under the heading "Accessibility" in one of the links you provided. I think that's actually textbook for irony. *grin*

Responding to:

>>And about the Applications view, the applications are grouped like in
>>the old way ...

While you are correct that you still have "Accessories," "Games," etc in the same old order, first you have to click on "Activities" then you must click on "Applications" and finally you have to move your mouse pointer to the opposite side of the screen to click on the set you want. Once you do, you have to scroll through three screens to access Tetravex for example, while the old way I only had to move my mouse pointer about three inches on my little Netbook. I don't think the designers have thought this through.

Additionally, while I was specifically speaking about control, as B is the person I'm most concerned about, there are many other problems that must be overcome for nursing home residents. The designers have made such a drastic change that the residents with memory issues are going to have a difficult time. 

I made some specialty icons for the desktop. For example an 82 year old preacher with Alzheimers is able to recognize the Bible on the desktop. When he clicks that it takes him to a Web site that lets him read and study the Bible, as he has for over 60 years. It's something he remembers how to do, but only if he sees that icon.

I've overcome most of these issues, however I did it by reverting BACK to the desktop. I am NOT able to use GNOME3 as it was intended to be used.  Or rather I can (almost), although with more difficulty than before, but the residents can't.

2012/1/13 Juanjo Marín <juanjomarin96 yahoo es>

>The old way was a simple panel icon she could click on to bring up
>GMail, and another to bring up the keyboard. I just upgraded my system
>to Fedora 15. I know that puts me behind, but as I always encounter
>problems with each new version, I tend to procrastinate. As I said,
>I am disabled as well.

Hi Smitten !

Let's see if my suggestions helps you a bit ;-)

>Despite the fixes I made, there are still problems. GNOME3 forces her
>to click

> on "Activities" to bring up a menu,

You don't have to click in "Activities", it is enough to put the mouse
pointer in the left-upper corner (we call it "hot corner").
Alternatively you can use the "windows" key.

In fact, the GNOME design team has put special care to ensure that it
can be used by those who have a low level of pointer control, either
because they are not well practised at using pointing devices or our
software, because they might not have good control over the hand and
fingers, or because they are using low quality hardware. The design team
keeps working on this, and for example, in the latest stable release,
GNOME 3.2, windows are easier to grab the edge of a window in order to
resize it. Take into account that having a universal design is not an
easy task, but I think they are in the good direction (apart from the
gnome-shell, applications are being re-designed to be easier to use).

http://live.gnome.org/GnomeShell/CheatSheet (I think it is very useful :-) )
http://afaikblog.wordpress.com/2011/05/02/on-pointer-control/

>to which she has to navigate, only to click on another menu, to which,
>after positioning her mouse to click again, she has to navigate through
>a bunch of icons, to click on the program she wishes to access.  Gods.
>That's just bordering on cruelty. She's limited to the icons I can
>save to the desktop.
>
>I am not nearly as disabled as she, but I still have my problems. I
>often position my mouse, only to have my hand twitch as I try to click
>and end up opening an entirely unintended program. It's frustrating. I
>liked the old way better where everything was grouped together. I would
>still make mistakes, but it didn't take so long to go through the
>process again.

Well, I think the most of the time users only need to access to limited
set of applications. Instead of going to the Applications view, I think
is more sensible to configure the dash with your favorite applications
(take a look to the cheat sheet link). I understan from your email you
are doing that. Also you can define keyboard shortcuts to open
applications in System settings > Keyboard > Shortcuts

I personally nearly never need to go to the Applications menu. I usually
only use the apps from the my dash, and when I need another apps I only
have to type a couple of letters in the search box

And about the Applications view, the applications are grouped like in
the old way (in fact it is the same group order) and the icons are much
higher than before.

Cheers,

   -- Juanjo Marin