Re: [gtk-list] Re: Widget user interface comments

[Matt Grossman <mattg oz net>]

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>On Fri, 11 Sep 1998, Michael Babcock wrote:

>
>-> Here's a list of ways I think Gtk widgets can be improved from a
>-> user's point of view.  This is with Gtk 1.0.5.
>
>-> I think scrollbars should by default be wider. I know we're following
>Definately.:)

Actually, the only thing that I miss in gtk scrollbars (and motif
scrollbars, etc.) is the athena widget thing where you just point the
mouse at the scrollbar and click to move the thumb up and down.

However, since gtk is following motif, I'm not going to suggest that
this be added.  The UI situation is confusing enough without trying to
invent another one that's subtly different from the others...

IMHO motif/windows style scrollbars are the worst.  Even NeXTstep and
OpenLook (did I get those sTudLycaps right?) scrollbars are better,
with the up and down buttons next to each other instead of at opposite
ends of the bar.

>
>-> Menus
>-> -----
>-> This one might be controversial. While I do like the menu items
>-> highlighting when the mouse moves over them, I don't think submenus
>-> should automatically pop up without a click (obviously, if you drag

Well, I would disagree.  I like that.  The fewer things I have to do
with the mouse, the better.

>-> the mouse to use menus, they will have to). The problem is that its
>-> too hard to "thread the needle" by moving the mouse pointer horizontally
>-> to the right to the submenu without moving it up or down to make the
>-> menu disappear.

Really?  I've never had this problem.  On the other hand, I have
clicked on items other than the one I intended to select.  I think
it's good to differentiate between "pop up a submenu" and "select an
action and hide the menu".


>-> --------------------
>-> I have seen new users confused about which visual state means on
>-> versus off. We all are familiar with the Motif look, but I think
>Hell, I'm not new and I still get confused. Ok, I'm not that old either but
>still.:)

Again, I've never had or noticed this problem.  I guess a "check mark"
of some kind is a dummy-proof way of doing this, but again, I'm not
sure that innovation in this area is a good idea.

>-> Comments?
>Good work. :-)

Just proving that there's no such thing as the perfect GUI.

Matt Grossman
mattg@oz.net
http://www.oz.net/~mattg