Re: [Usability]Re: Notification area (was: Music player UI)

[Jeff Waugh <jdub perkypants org>]

<quote who="Sean Middleditch">

> > Another problem with the Windows system tray is that there is no
> > structure as to which programs reside in there. On most systems it is
> > just crowded with junk, half of which is of no importance whatsoever to
> > the user (I used to go through great pains attempting to remove or hide
> > most of those things).
> 
> This is also the platform where people install things like Bonsai Buddy...
> ;-)
> 
> On a home machine, you can't stop it no matter what.  If people install
> Crap(tm), Crap(tm) will run.  If not a status docklet, then an applet, if
> not an applet, a whole new panel, etc.  At the office, well - users
> shouldn't be able to install Crap(tm).  

But in the GNOME Desktop release we need a standard, and in the HIG we need
guidelines.

> A user does *not* need a command-line on the their panel, nor do they need
> to see their CPU usage graphed, etc.

Seeing what your CPU is doing, at a glance, can be incredibly important.

> The few good ones (volume control, as an example) could either continue
> to be exposed, or made into status icons (the status of my volume).

Go back and rewrite the sentence using the correct terminology, and see if
it makes sense, ie. swap 'status' for 'notification'. Now compare the Mac OS
X volume control and the Windows volume control.

> Most the other applets we have are either a) useless (geyes, oo boy,
> there's something we need)

Tell that to:

  a) the notebook owner who often can't see her mouse cursor due to the slow
  updates of LCD screens (geyes + the press-control-to-find-cursor feature
  are both helpful)

  b) the stock trader trying to look for his mouse cursor which is hiding
  somewhere on one of his six screens (the directional hint from geyes is
  very useful here)

> b) duplicated elsewhere (dictionary lookup, for example).

Nice to have a spot to paste/type words to do the lookup, accessible from
everywhere. If you find words important, it's very handy (but sure, it could
also be relegated to something like geektoys).

> I'd be all for removing the concept of applet altogether, personally,
> but I guess enough l337 h4c|<3r5 would be against the idea of not being
> able to have a cdplayer applet or something (which is silly, given that
> gnome-cd now has a status icon ;-)

Which requires a click to get a menu, rather than providing buttons and
'status' right there in front of you. The CD player notification icon is
another misuse of the notification area.

> Most of the applets I've seen are things that would work quite well as a
> status icon, tho. 

s/status/notification/ -> no, they would not be appropriate.

We don't need to remove applets altogether - we need to improve how they
operate and define where they're relevant, and make sure the notification
area is used as it was designed. Then we can avoid the mistakes other
platforms have made in this area.

- Jeff

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