Re: extra menus on panel

[Dion Detterer <diond healey com au>]

Tom Vogt wrote:
> I have run a small number of tests that have shown that he will NOT find out
> at all with the current configuration. now we're looking for ways to tell
> him. my proposal was to show, not to tell, but if you have something better,
> I'm very willing to hear it.

(thinking out aloud, here...)

Every item on the desktop should be a subclass of a generic 'object'
class.

Class 'Object' is an abstract class defining all fundamental methods and
properties.  Subclassed from 'object' can be 'container' which is then
subclassed into 'folder' which is subclassed into 'panel' and
'desktop'.  One method unique to 'panel' should be 'add applet', for
example, while the destop is unique in that it can hold a panel.  The
'new folder' method should be higher up in the heirachy, and common to
both 'panel' and 'desktop'.  Also, drag a folder from the desktop onto
the panel, and now the panel contains the folder, not the desktop.  The
intuitive idea that both the desktop and the panel are folders
themselves that inherit all the functionality the user expects of a
folder should suggest that additional folders can be added to the panel,
just as they can to the desktop.

The hurdle we must overcome is that poor Joe Windoze (I was one for five
years) is mentally crippled by the fact that he sees the panel and
assumes windoze-like behaviour based on its appearance (which is your
argument).

What I think our primary concern should be, at this point in time, is
flesh-out the object heirachy so that we get it straight how everything
behaves.  This will hopefully provide a foundation to a clear,
consistent and intuitive interface so that every part of GNOME behaves
as the user expects it to.  If this is done well enough, the user should
*expect* this kind of functionality from the panel, for example.

If, after this, tests still show users with a (say) Windoze background
ignore such functionality, perhaps when the user first uses GNOME, a
help-file/screenplay/whatever appears, introducing GNOME fundamentals,
with a 'Windows users' branch near the beginning, explaning the basic
differences between GNOME and Windoze.

-Dion.