Re: Usability studies

[Adam Tauno Williams <awilliam whitemice org>]

On Fri, 2011-05-13 at 14:10 -0400, Gerald Henriksen wrote:
> >Last I checked, GNOME never only allowed "one way" to use the desktop. 
> >Even with GNOME 3, which I admit isn't the most customizable thing in 
> >the world (though I don't mind), there's quite a few ways to use your 
> >desktop. You could go mouse-only, keyboard-only, keyboard+mouse... You 
> While mouse only is possible in Gnome 3, it is horribly inefficient.

As it is in GNOME2 and every other UI.  The use is merely has merely
gotten used to how inefficient it is.

> >2. "For example, in trying to make the launching of applications easier 
> >and freer of error, both eliminated the classic main menu in favor of 
> >displays that occupy the entire desktop. This arrangement does improve 
> >the launching of applications -- but it does so at the cost of obscuring 
> >the windows that are already open 

During the act of launching an application: why do you care about the
windows that are already open?  I never do.

> and requiring far more clicks and 
> >movements away from the active window than the main menu ever did."
> >GNOME 3 still has an applications menu, as does Unity (I believe, never 
> >actually used it much). The problem with that assertion is that GNOME 3 
> >makes launching applications, dare I say, *faster*.
> Really?  In Windows 7 or Mac OS X all I have to do is click on the
> icon at the bottom of the screen in the task bar/dock (and I had Gnome
> 2 setup similarly).
> Gnome 3 I have to open up activies, then open the app.
> How is a 2 step process faster than a 1 step process?

I really don't understand the fuss about "launching applications is
slower/harder".  Who cares?  It isn't hard.  And how often does one
launch an application?  Rarely;  it certainly can't account for but an
infintesimal amount of overall usage.  If you really launch something
over and over - assign a key binding [nothing is faster than that].

> >Alt+F2, *and* the traditional menu. Also, I read a post on Planet GNOME 
> >a while ago that said how GNOME 2 solved some problems that the GNOME 2 
> >applications menu had on low-precision input devices, which can be read 
> >here:
> Wonderful, except I am not using a low-precision device.

+1

> >Has this author even tried to use GNOME 3 for more than 10 (or 30) 
> >minutes? I'm sure that if he tried to learn how to use the desktop most 
> >efficiently, he would enjoy it at least slightly.
> I have, and as one who primarily uses the mouse have found it
> unusable.  It seems designed for those who use their keyboards for
> everything.

Yes, as it should be.  Use the mouse less, it is wasting your time,
regardless of DE.