Re: [Usability] Re: Screenshots as videos

[Kirk Bridger <kbridger shaw ca>]

If we do not like the expansion of the term 'Take a Screenshot' to
include the additional functionality/task of recording the desktop
(which I agree with), then perhaps we can simply expand the task
launcher's name.

'Capture Desktop' would encapsulate both screenshots and recordings, for
example.

We could have an initial dialogue pop up asking what kind of capture
they wish to do, and then either display the screenshot or the recording
window as per their choice.  Or we could do a tabbed interface so we
don't hide the functionality from interface explorers - mockups might
help with this.  We're not really getting away from Alan's complaint of
complicating the interface though.  But I think that if we're adding a
feature to the desktop it is almost certain something will be
complicated, even slightly.

But I do agree that if I were looking for a way to record my desktop, I
wouldn't think it was found in the screenshot interface.  From the
developer's point of view it makes a lot of sense, but from the
end-user's point of view, the two tasks are not really related.

Kirk



On Wed, 2005-07-13 at 01:19 -0500, Shaun McCance wrote:
> On Wed, 2005-07-13 at 02:35 +0100, Alan Horkan wrote:
> > > Just got started on some documentation stuff today, and I want to
> > > revisit this thread, since I don't remember a consensus ever being
> > > reached.
> > 
> > So my comments that a Screen Recorder is a different application from Take
> > Screenshot didn't do it for you then?
> 
> Your comments don't constitute a consensus.
> 
> > > The more I think about it, the more I think having the 'Take Screenshot'
> > > menu item bring up a "What do you want to do?" dialog is the best route.
> > 
> > Stop for a second.  Read that back to yourself.
> > 
> > The users chooses to Take a Screenshot.
> > "What do you want to do?"
> > 
> > Take a screenshot, they have already said so.
> > Why second guess the user?
> 
> Because I (the user) haven't yet said what to take a screenshot of.
> I sure as hell don't want to take a screenshot of the menu I found
> the screenshooter tool in.
> 
> > > I have three reasons, one of which is selfish:
> > >
> > > 1) In order to ensure that I take screenshots with all the default
> > > settings, I have a seperate user on my account.  It's really handy
> > > to be able to run that user's desktop in xnest.  But I can't do the
> > > Alt+Printscreen trick, because my top-level session eats it.  Being
> > > able to do a single window screenshot without a global keybinding
> > > would help me a lot.
> > 
> > There is a bug report requesting this feature, several approaches have
> > been suggested but I'm not sure if it has been fixed yet.
> > 
> > And then there is the GIMP (and the option to take screenshots without
> > window decorations was added back in case you have a version missing the
> > feature).
> 
> Yes, there are other tools I can use.  I mean, that's always the
> answer right?  No, we don't do that.  No, we think you should use
> somebody else's software.
> 
> I noticed you cleverly snipped my other two points, which were
> my much stronger points.  Particularly, please do tell me how
> anybody is supposed to discover the keybindings.
> 
> > > So, more thoughts on this beaten thread?
> > 
> > Loads more ... but I'll finish with the classic bit of software design:
> > 
> > Do one thing well.
> 
> Pithy phrases do not make good software design.
> 
> --
> Shaun
> 
> 
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