Re: [Usability] New "Add to panel" dialog

[Kalle Vahlman <kalle vahlman gmail com>]

2005/10/20, Manu Cornet <Manu Cornet gmail com>:
>
> Hi !
>
> I have been working on a new version of the "add to panel" dialog, for
> the Ubuntu distro. This dialog is already available by default in the
> new Ubuntu "Breezy Badger" version.

Even without testing, looks like a fine piece of work!

...BUT. ;)

> * The applet list is now two-dimensionnal (icons and text are put on a> 2D canvas).

This is the main cause for your "Call of advice" section...

> * Applets are organized into categories.

...and this is good...

> * On the top-right corner, a search bar lets one search applets easily,
> and is of an "update as you type" kind. If several words are typed in,
> the dialog assumes they are separated by an "AND" connector.

...this is very good...

> * Selected applet's description appears below the canvas.

...but this is not. It takes the description away from it's context
(the item), in addition to that it makes the user have to select an
item to see what it is all about. I bet 80% of people won't find it
there when they look through the items, and from the rest that do, do
so by accident. Why? Because the user looks at the big friendly pane
that has the things his interested in, not to the relatively small and
indistinguishable area below it.

Personally, I think the whole icon view layouting is a little awkward
for anything that has a description (title to be exact) over 5-10
characters long. It's remarkably bad in this case as it effectively
removes the descriptions from the items.


> Okay now, I know that the "2D" look is a matter of taste, some will like
> it, some won't. But I think that a perfectly objective way to see this
> is the time spent searching for an applet and adding it to the panel.

I was so taken by the fact that the page mentions my (laptops)
resolution specifically that I shall patch my self-compiled system to
at least try it out, although I am one of the "won't"s in this case.

Oh, and btw, decreasing the font forcibly is BAD, VERY BAD. I like to
keep my application font as small as I can bear (because of the
resolution), and if you drop it a notch, it goes from "almost not
readable" to "really not readable".

I wouldn't see this as a issue worth another font setting either.

But, if you are fixed on the 2D-canvas idea ;), you might consider
implementing zoom to it. That could give you some control over the
size of things (including the font), but without making it suck for
some by default. 100% could have the app font size, 75% could have
smaller font and image size (and would be remembered naturally, do
these things even need to be said anymore?-).

--
Kalle Vahlman, zuh iki fi
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