Re: [Usability] Shortcut keys for EOG

[Alan Horkan <horkana maths tcd ie>]

[Sorry for not replying sooner, I think this is a tough problem]

On Sat, 17 Dec 2005, Jaap Haitsma wrote:

> Date: Sat, 17 Dec 2005 20:00:11 +0100
> From: Jaap Haitsma <jaap haitsma org>
> To: usability gnome org
> Subject: [Usability] Shortcut keys for EOG
>
> Hi,
>
> I cooked up a patch for EOG to use some extra shortcut keys mainly for
> accessing the previous or next image, on which I'd like to have your
> opinion concerning usability.
>
> The patch and discussion about it can be found here: [1]
>
> This is a short summary of the discussion there.
>
> Current behavior of EOG in CVS
> ------------------------------
>
> Currently EOG has the following accelerators for next image and prev image.
>
> Next Image
>    Ctrl+PageDown
>    Spacebar
>    Return
>
> Prev Image
>    Ctrl+PageUp
>    Shift+Spacebar
>    Shift+Return
>
> User test
> ---------
> I did a test with two users who are only familiar with Windows and not
> computer savvy. I used a patched version of EOG where I disabled all the
> shortcut keys. The thing they had to do is to go to the next image.
>
> Both users never thought of using Ctrl+PageDown and always tried to use
> the arrow keys.

My problem is that test doesn't ask them how they might (pan) move around
a large image, how they might move up and down the page.  When you ask
that question it then becomes very odd to have Page Up and Page Down not
doing exactly what they claim they do.

> Proposed new behaviour
> ----------------------
> So the main thing my patch does is when the complete image is visible it
> binds the arrow keys to previous and next slide.

I still cannot figure out if it makes sense to allow you to take Page Up
and Page Down for something else when the image has been zoomed to fit the
whole screen.

>   would also be interesting that some more people did the same user test
> with non computer savvy people.

More real tests would be great but I do think your test is inherently
biased.  I am biased too in my desire to have Page Up and Page Down do
exactly that, not just in EoG but consistently in other Gnome programs
too.  Real tests are about the best way to get some solid facts,
everything else is not much more than educated guesses. Unfortunately I'm
not at all sure what would be a fair test?

- Alan