Re: Menus

[John R Sheets <dusk smsi-roman com>]

gelderk@natlab.research.philips.com wrote:

> > Is that more dangerous than helpful?
>
> May be. If so, there should be a novice/expert setting in the
> configuration, such that a novice can not screw up too much (side-step
> to another thread ``Meeting the needs of users'': this would fit into
> the novice-guide-around versus expert-can-do-all for applications;
> which is definitely a good idea).

I like the novice/expert thing; it could be the answer.  How does this sound: in
novice mode, they can make no changes to their menus/toolbars.  Static only.  In
expert mode, you can do whatever you want.  Administrators could then disable
expert mode (or only portions of it) so that users can't jumble their menus and
generate greater tech support problems.  But _always_ make it easy to switch back
to Novice mode (menu item in the foot menu?), where all the customizations are
100% ignored.  >Zap!<  Back to default menus.

That way, they could remove rarely-used commands, or trim down their menus, and if
they needed to use that rare command, they switch to default mode, call it, and
switch back to expert mode.  Or is that too confusing?  We probably wouldn't want
to call it "Novice" or "Expert" modes.

> how come that emotions turn
> high when the ``feel'' of look'n'feel is discussed?)

I don't know.  People feel really strong about this, I guess.  I don't think all
those flame wars were appropriate, though.  Kinda silly in hind sight.

John