Re: [Usability]recent documents in panel

[Calum Benson <calum benson sun com>]

On Sun, 2002-09-15 at 19:35, Adam D. Lopresto wrote:

> I really like the idea, but I'm worried that the wording is a bit confusing.
> The difference between "Open Recent" and "Launch Recent" doesn't seem
> sufficiently clear.  Personally, I'd much prefer "Recent Documents" and
> "Recent Applications", but I understand that that violates the HIG's imperative
> verb style.  Maybe something like "Re-run Application" and "Re-open Document".  

If we did decide to put them both on the same menu, why not just "Open
Recent" and "Run Recent"?

Personally though, having looked at the screenshots, I think if we keep
the 'recent apps' list down to 5 or so we should think about putting it
straight into the top level of the Applications menu, probably at or
near the bottom.  I'm really not convinced that you'd find an
application any quicker on a "Run Recent" submenu than you would just
going to Graphics->GIMP or whatever, but if it was right there when you
opened the menu I could see the benefit.  (This is how Windoze XP does
it as well, although I think its 2-column Start menu is kind of ugly).

Another advantage to doing it this way would be more consistency with
the current HIG recommendation for the placement of the recent file list
in an application.  A disadvantage would be that it's not so obvious
what the equivalent solution for "Open Recent Document" would be.

Cheeri,
Calum.

-- 
CALUM BENSON, Usability Engineer       Sun Microsystems Ireland
mailto:calum benson sun com            GNOME Desktop Group
http://ie.sun.com                      +353 1 819 9771

Any opinions are personal and not necessarily those of Sun Microsystems