Re: [Usability]A Challenge: Describe the GNOME 4.0 interface.

[Roberto Rosselli Del Turco <rosselli ling unipi it>]

Gregory Merchan wrote:
> Describe the GNOME 4.0 user interface.  Be specific and optimistic.
>
> Don't worry about other people saying you're on crack.
>
> Don't say someone else is on crack.
>
> Have fun with this.

I think this is a great idea, Gregory, but it seems there's a lack of 
visionaries at the moment. So I hope you'll forgive me for stepping in 
with some quickly jotted down ideas.


Desktop: Nautilus
Nautilus 4.0 will be modular: you will be able to keep it slim and fast
for use as a filemanager, resorting to external programs to browse the
web, listen to music, view documents, etc.; or you can embed all sort of
components in it, allowing for direct browsing/editing of documents in
its main window (browse the web with a Galeon/Mozilla view, edit text
with an Abiword view, etc.), using drag'n'drop from the tree view to
copy/move/insert files in the current view, send documents or portion of 
documents to the printer, validate documents etc.

Desktop: help system
Every program option will be documented with contextual help, with links
to the GNOME help center so that you can wade deeper in a specific
topic. Yelp 4.0 will be intelligent enough to remember your wanderings 
in the documentation system, and will offer to create a new page in a 
personal help directory, so that you don't have to it all over again. 
From time to time Yelp will scan specific sites on the Net looking for 
updated information, errata and security advisories, etc.

Desktop: GNOME wizards, MIME settings
Thanks to a pervasive use of metadata applied to all user software,
combined with web search and update tools, GNOME application wizards 
will know your desktop better than you: they will suggest you software 
for a specific task ("Use super-cd-burn to burn your cds"), propose
alternatives ("You've been using super-cd-burn exclusively, and only for
burning audio cds, how about trying ultra-audiocd-burn?") and updates
("Super-cd-burn has been updated to version 2.0, how about updating your
version?" or "Super-cd-burn has not been updated in two years, how about
trying the latest ultra-cd-burn?"), point you to web documents related
to the software you use most ("There's a new tutorial about
super-cd-burn on the site ...") and more. The old MIME system will be
greatly simplified, allowing for a quick and easy association of data
and programs (launch the wizard, than drag and drop a file on a program
window, and that's it), here too wizards will help if necessary ("Do you
want to use program superview for all kind of images or just for .jpeg
ones, like the one you've just dropped in superview's window?"). If you
feel they're too obtrusive, you can limit their verbosity or their scope.

Programming: app building
Advanced users can use GNOME components to build custom apps (in a way
similar to NeXT appbuilder or BeOS replicants): SuperGlade 4.0 will
assiste them in this task, generating all the glue code needed, and
helping in defining the user interface (strictly HIG 4.0 compliant, of
course). Users can start from a simple window showing their documents,
and add tools as needed. This will be in line with a more 
document-centric approach to users' data.


Ciao

--
Roberto Rosselli Del Turco      e-mail:	rosselli cisi unito it
Dipartimento di Scienze			rosselli ling unipi it
del Linguaggio			Then spoke the thunder	DA
Universita' di Torino		Datta: what have we given?  (TSE)

   Hige sceal the heardra,     heorte the cenre,
   mod sceal the mare,       the ure maegen litlath.  (Maldon 312-3)