Re: Reprise of the panel layout proposal

[James Ramsey <jjramsey_6x9eq42 yahoo com>]

--- Jared White <jwhite sonic net> wrote:
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "James Ramsey" <jjramsey_6x9eq42 yahoo com>
> 
> 
> > --- Gerry Chu <gerry-list gerrychu com> wrote:
> > > I think it looks pretty slick. And I like the
> > > Programs/System seperation.
> >
> > I don't. "System" is too vague.
> 
> What's vague about it? Anything that controls how
> your computer system works or anything that
> works with basic system services should be in the
> System menu. I suppose you could make it the
> Computer menu, but I don't know if that would be any
> more clear.

What is the "System"? Is it the hardware? software?
Both? If one is in a business setting, one might think
of it as a menu a system administrator might touch,
which would hint perhaps that it had to do with the
network or all the nearby computers put together as a
"system". "System" can refer to a lot of disparate
things. That's what is vague about it.

> I hate extra levels of navigation in menus -- I
don't
> care how sub-menus are implemented. To me,
> having one big catch-all menu with everything
smashed
> into it is bad, bad, bad. I've never liked
> the Windows Start Menu and anything that works just 
> like it doesn't sit well with me.

The advantage of a "catch-all" menu, though, is that
it, well, catches it all, even things that don't fit
well into other categories, such as "Lock Screen" or
"Log Out". The tradeoff, as you clearly recognized, is
that there are extra levels of submenus. It seems to
me that the problem is the user using it too much,
rather than the user making shortcuts or panel buttons
for frequently used apps.

Maybe a better solution is to have a "Favorites" menu
for frequently used apps, at the left-hand corner of
the menu panel, and the main menu next to it. That
way, the menu with the frequently used apps is quick
to access, and the main menu can be used when
necessary.

The question, then, is how does the UI encourage the
user to use the "Favorites" menu?



=====


----I am a fool for Christ. Mostly I am a fool.----


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