Re: [Usability]Re: Menu guidelines updated

[Julian Missig <julian jabber org>]

Adam Elman wrote:

> At 12:57 AM +0200 9/9/01, Reinout van Schouwen wrote:
> > I'm curious what you think about apps like Gkrellm and XMMS. The 
> > latter draws its own mini-titlebar, the former doesn't even have that 
> > but its functions can only be accessed through a context menu. This 
> > may seem bad UI design, but those two apps are a typical example of 
> > programs that someone would want to run in a corner of his screen, 
> > occupying minimal desktop space. A titlebar, menu or close button 
> > would take an unacceptable(?) amount of extra space. Seen from this 
> > perspective, the lack of obvious ways to manipulate the program 
> > actually adds to its functionality! Or do you disagree?
>
>
> I think there are other ways to minimize the amount of screen real 
> estate that a program like that takes up.  I have generally found the 
> lack of WM controls on XMMS to be really irritating, although it does 
> help it to look cooler.  It makes it impossible to drag across virtual 
> desktops, for example.
>
> My approach to redesigning XMMS to reduce its screen real estate would 
> involve rethinking the XMMS panel applet and improving that to the point 
> where it is an acceptable substitute for the XMMS window. (For those of 
> you who would argue that the panel is already too busy -- fine.  put it 
> on an auto-hiding side panel on the side of the screen.  Takes up no 
> space, is easily accessible, and still works better than the current 
> no-WM approach.)  I'm sure there are other pros and cons to that, but 
> that's the kind of thing I'd think of.
>
> I've not used Gkrellm enough to comment on it specifically.

Well, I've always been of the opinion that gkrellm should be broken up into a bunch of panel applets - they would accomplish the same thing. The only thing with gkrellm is that people who don't use GNOME use it as well, and would certainly hate that suggestion. Some people use it completely as a resplacement for the gnome panel.


Julian
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