Re: To answer your question about the upcoming Style-Guide...

[Tom Vogt <tom lemuria org>]

Dan Kaminsky <effugas@best.com> wrote:
> >just a weird idea.
> 
> Not a weird idea at all!  Excellent concept.  The only thing I worry about
> is the bookmark syndrome...people will just put it in root because they're
> lazy, then complain that their bookmark list is so long.  Start menus are
> also horrible messes because of the company default, even though the company
> default is easily overridden.  So, how 'bout an installation defaults to the
> app category/subcategory but can be added any number of times to any number
> of locations?

than how about my other proposal to change/extend this idea? installations
ARE done by root, but maybe the fitting in of the new icon to the panel
should be done according to user preferences...


> Gotta pick some default case.  Users forget how they've organized things, or
> forget to correctly install something, or whatever.

then let them create RULES. do it via a simple (kiss!) interface. let them
click or select that anything with "game" in the keywords goes to the
"recreation" folder.


> >> Interfaces should be customizable, but the average user must be expected
> NOT
> >> to customize their interface and should thus be given the best possible
> >> initial experience.
> >sorry, but I STRONGLY disagree here. the average user WILL customize his or
> >her interface, I'll take absolutely ANY bet on that.
> 
> I'll send you screen shots of start menus, quickstart bars, etc. on
> Win95/98/NT for normal users.  Very few people take the time to reorganize
> their start menu, to add a new button to their quickstart bars, etc.

on windoze, most customization is done in two areas. one is look&feel. nice
cursors, sound, desktop backgrounds, screensavers - "cute things". two is
the desktop. it's right that most user's don't do anything to the start
menu, but then most don't know it's possible and it's really hidden deep
away (start->system->task bar->(notebook)->advanced).
simple users put icons on their desktop. I've seen 1024x768 desktops FILLED
with icons.


> Note the irony...people are quick to customize for aesthetics but are
> incredibly slow at customizing things that provide increased productivity.

as I said: ask the average windoze user how he can customize the start menu.
I'm sure the majority of replies will be like "I can customize the menu?".
:)

that's one of the reasons I argue so strongly for SHOWING that it's possible
right from the start.



-- 
The universe does not have laws -- it has habits, and habits can be broken.