Re: Menu guidelines updated

["Paul Joseph Thompson" <captbunzo squirrelmail org>]

>> I think we need to look at where power users are currently used
>> to seeing this option. I think that is usually directly below
>> the save  options.
> 
> How "power users" are used to it matters very little to me.  A
> real power user knows the series of key-commands to hit to
> execute it without the mouse at all -- I have a set of perfectly
> valid reasons -- debate those please.

The statement that 'how "power users" are used to it matters very 
little to me' is a problem. In fact, the more I think about it the 
more I realize that it flies in the face of EVERYTHING for which the 
Gnome Usablity Project stands.

The desktop world of computing is controlled by a billion business 
people who use word, excel, and (generally) Microsoft Windows every 
freaking day to get their job done. Most of the time, these users 
could care less about free-ness of software or how much MS is ripping 
them off with rediculous prices. They care about one thing:

  GETTING THEIR JOBS DONE.

This requires good software that allows them to do their job. These 
people are what I refer to as power users. (Maybe we should define 
user classes a little better to avoid misunderstandings.)

Whatever the case, it is VERY IMPORTANT for us to think about what 
these users are used to. Now, by NO means am I saying that we should 
never make a change from the 'status quo'. However, what I am saying 
is that we should pay careful respect to it and only deviate when a 
REAL, TRUE problem is found.

And I am sure that we will find plenty of small or large ones of 
those problems that we will change.

>> No way. 'Revert' is a term that is aleady widely know in the
>> computer  world for this function. 
> 
> Please cite the study that shows that _any_ users know how to
> use the revert function in their software.  I would bet you that
> most copies of Word 2000 don't even have the revert function
> displayed (since they eventually hide unused menu options).

Blah. I took a quick poll around my office (just to make sure I 
wasn't biased) and I discovered that everyone knew what revert was, 
where to find it, and had usually used it before.
 
>> Using something else in this case, since 'Revert' is relatively
>> accurate, would actually just make Gnome LESS usable.
> 
> You've made no point except "maintain status quo because I like
> it." Please cite reasons and examples to support leaving an
> option alone that I believe is both incorrectly placed by usage
> and improperly labelled by function.

First of all, I never said anything about "maintaining the status quo 
because I LIKE IT." I suggested that we should maintain the status 
quo because:

1. The term is relatively accurate. Sure, like all the terms we use 
in computing, we could PROBABLY thing for a while and come up with a 
label that is even more clear. However...

2. However, 'revert' is already a standard term in the computer 
industry I think I remember it being around since early versions of 
Word Perfect and Print Shop that I used a long time ago.

3. Therefore, if it is not broken, let's not try to fix it.

Secondly, your logic that the option is improperly labeled is, quite 
simply, flawed. A quick lookup of the word revert in a dictionary 
yields:

   Revert: To return to a former condition.
           To go back to a previous state

This is exactly what the option done. It takes the current documents, 
and retuns it to the state that it was in before any modification was 
in.

-- 

            Paul Joseph Thompson
            captbunzo squirrelmail org