Re: [Usability] Re: My (ongoing) analysis of the proposed modules

[Alan Horkan <horkana maths tcd ie>]

On Wed, 14 May 2003, Noah Levitt wrote:

> Date: Wed, 14 May 2003 00:59:11 -0400
> From: Noah Levitt <nlevitt columbia edu>
> To: Shaun McCance <shaunm wolfram com>
> Cc: merchan baton phys lsu edu, usability gnome org
> Subject: Re: [Usability] Re: My (ongoing) analysis of the proposed modules
>
> > The HIG should really advise on this issue so that all of the apps can
> > do the same thing.  I think Larger Text and Smaller Text items are good
> > (pick more suitable names as you please), and we should overload the
> > Ctrl++ and Ctrl+- (and possibly Ctrl+= for Normal Text Size) for them.

> Also, I don't like ctrl++ / ctrl+= doing different things,
> since they are the same key on US keyboards. In gucharmap
> ctrl+= does the same as ctrl++.

There are many non US or UK keyboard users who absolutely hate trying to
Zoom using Ctlr+= as = is not easily available (there are lengthy
complaints about this in bugzilla, filed against the HIG I think).
I much prefer to have both Ctrl ++ and Ctrl+= be Zoom In.

May as well respond to some of the other points while I am at it.

>> Change "Quit" to "Close". (Pick any flamewar about Quit v. Close for

Flamewars, ... dont touch with a bargepole ... wait for the Gnome HIG to
take a firm decision.

>> This menu has only one item. That's not a good sign, but I don't have
>> any suggestions about it at this time.

> Not a good sign? What of?

http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gup/hig/1.0/menus.html
Read the section beginning:
Do not have menus with less than three items on them...

Then read this bit:
http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gup/hig/1.0/menus.html
Use submenus sparingly, as they are physically difficult to navigate and
make it harder to find and reach the items they contain.

Actually you just need to read the second link, it reiterates the points
made at the first link.

Go To
  Something about a top level Menu name with two words bothers me, I cant
think of any other application that does this.

http://gucharmap.sourceforge.net/shots/gucharmap_shot_04.png
All the screenshots seem HUGE.
Is gucharmap usable on a 640x480 display? (or 800x600 for that matter?)


>> The "Text to copy" field and "Copy" button seem odd to me too.

Text to copy [                ] Copy
             Text copied to clipboard

I would simplify this to

[                   ] Copy

and put the status message in the status bar, same goes for Find.

If the descriptive label is necessary, aesthetically I think it would look
better like this:

Text to copy
[                  ] Copy



Hope that helps.

- Alan