Re: [Usability]Attempt at constructive criticism

["Mark Pawson" <mark_pawson hotmail com>]

> Message: 3
> Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 09:19:27 +0200
> From: Aleksander Adamowski <olo altkom com pl>
> To: bordoley msu edu
> Cc: usability gnome org
> Subject: Re: [Usability]Attempt at constructive criticism - "Why Gnome 2 
> sucks
>  for me"
>
> >There has been some discussion of adding a revert to default option for 
> these
> >dialogs. That said, I really dont think this is that big of an issue,
> >
> No, revert to default wouldn't be good - the user doesn't care about
> defaults as much as about the actual previous settings (before the
> change), whether they were at defaults, or customized.
>
> E.g.:
> Imagine a user that has finally decided upon a theme he likes best. He
> has set that theme and since then he worked in Gnome for some time. Now
> he doesn't remember the theme's name, he enters Control Center, and
> mistakes e.g. GTK themes for window decoration themes. So he sets a
> different one - and instantly starts to regret that single mouse click
> because he switched to a different theme! Not having the previous
> theme's name in memory, he now has to try all the themes (there are
> dozens) untile he re-finds his favourite.
>
> So it shouldn't be "revert to defaults" (I can delete dotfiles from my
> $HOME, thank you), it should be "undo last change".

Hi Aleksander,

Before you decide that the instant apply is not beneficial or that a revert 
button is required please hear my point of view:

I have asked various members of my family and a few friends to try the new 
nautillus and Gnome with instant apply dialog boxes and the most popular 
comment is that they do not need to worry about clicking apply and then 
clicking OK or just clicking OK, which they are used to doing with Microsoft 
Windows.  It just works straight away, which is highly regarded, when faced 
with applying and then OKaying changes.

Your second issue with the undo last change or revert button, having asked 
the same group what they thought of this, some thought it a good idea, and 
others said they would remember thus it would only clutter things up.  
Perhaps a usability expert could shed some light on this matter.

Hope this helps.

Mark Pawson.

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