Re: [GnomeMeeting-list] I want my users advice

[Christian Rose <menthos menthos com>]

lör 2002-02-02 klockan 01.39 skrev OverrideX:
> > The grouping of the buttons surely is something that is desirable and
> > that should be done -- it just shouldn't be done by introducing a new
> > kind of toolbar. There's no need to; the grouping can be accomplished by
> > adding a separator to the existing toolbar. You also won't find vertical
> > toolbars in any other GNOME application (at least I can't remember one),
> > and in this aspect GnomeMeeting breaks consistency.
> > There are a lot of potential controls that would make more effective use
> > of the free space, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they are
> > desirable.
> 
> First of all, the buttons that are there are all very useful to most
> users, and if usability is the issue, removing them would just make life
> a few clicks longer for those that use those buttons.

I don't believe that anyone is using GnomeMeeting primarily because they
want to modify GnomeMeetings settings. The only button I suggested
removal of was the Preferences button, which is not part of the main
functions of GnomeMeeting. Noone is using GnomeMeeting just to be able
to configure GnomeMeeting...


> If more buttons
> are added to the top horizontal toolbar it will take away from the size
> of the address field

How come? I don't see why that would necessarily be true. At least not
noticably.


> and you will no longer be able to see the entire
> ip/hostname you're entering to call, unless the program is made even
> wider, causing even more wasted space to the sides of the video.  With
> the set size of the video for gnomemeeting and the length of the current
> horizontal toolbar it creates that small space on the side of the video
> for the vertical toolbar, and the buttons on it are of use to many
> people.

Maybe many, but probably not most. Certainly not when it comes to the
Preferences button, which was the only button I suggested for removal.


> If some people are unable to use an application because they
> become confused by too many buttons, or because it doesn't look like a
> generic gtk application maybe the vertical toolbar should toggle. 

All people are confused by too many buttons. That's a basic aspect of
the cognitive process of watching an area, you have to realize and
figure out what's shown. Then maybe you automatically come to the
conclusion that "this thing/button is not of any interest to me, what
else is here to see", but the situation is still that too many buttons
or controls adds visual noise that confuses all of us, whether we
realize it or not. You can try this out by opening a random app without
watching, then watch for half a second, and then try to remember what
interesting buttons were there. Even if the same number of interesting
buttons are present in both an application with many toolbar buttons and
one with only a few, you will have more trouble remembering them in the
application with many buttons, simply because there was more information
to parse in that limited timeframe.

Nevertheless, this thread was more about the need for a vertical toolbar
than unneeded buttons. But even if GnomeMeeting has few buttons, it has
more than should be (see the Preferences button), and more buttons add
clutter. Also, there is no good reason for the toolbar to be vertical,
it could just as easily be a horizontal one. If two horizontal toolbars
are too much to show at once, then the second one can be hidden by
default (I think it should be). But I still like the one toolbar
approach better.


Christian