Re: [Usability] Reasoning behind default panel setup?

[Kalle Vahlman <kalle vahlman gmail com>]

On 1/11/06, Thorsten Wilms <t_w_ freenet de> wrote:
> On Wed, Jan 11, 2006 at 02:54:02PM +0200, Kalle Vahlman wrote:
> > On 1/11/06, Thorsten Wilms <t_w_ freenet de> wrote:
> > > The switcher gives visibility to this great feature that should not be
> > > missed by anyone. Well, if one doesn't do much beyond browsing the web,
> > > it's not that important. But for true multitasking and production it's
> > > a great helper.
> >
> > Exactly. True multitasking and production are not what a typical home
> > user will do. Instead hey might get confused about where their windows
> > went if they accidentally click on it. I remember my parents having
> > trouble with the concept of windows when they started computing,
> > adding virtual desktops would not have helped...
>
> And I remember my mother having trouble with the mouse, especialy
> regarding doubleclicking and right-clicking ...

Yeah, both are sucky things and fortunately the need for
double-clicking is already diminished, although some sore points
remain. I'm actually contemplating using the libstylus on my desktop,
it worked nicely when I tested it a while back. It would allow me to
stop using the second mouse button too.

(why are you looking at me like that...?-)

> I doubt your home user would not at some point use a browser,
> email, im-client and write a letter in between or edit some picture.
> Window management becomes a nightmare without workspaces here.

I guess someones nightmare can be tolerable by others. I've been happy
with the window list as my way to find a window, although I'd like
some automatical categorization of the items there. But if the list
gets too long it's a message to me to close some of them. It's not
like I really need to have dozens of windows open at the same time.

> > And I think the default setup should probably concentrate on home
> > users since workplace setups usually have custom configuration adapted
> > to the needs and policies of the businness anyway.
>
> There should better be some consensus on this.

I thought the word "easy" would more or less implicate that:

http://gnome.org/about/why.html
"
GNOME for Home Users
GNOME is easy to use and easy to learn: the usability project team
makes sure of it.
"

> Who are the home users anyway? Mom and dad, granny, the kids,
> a highschool kid, a student?

Yes, all of them.

> I don't think catering to least set
> of skill/knowledge can be the answer, because that can only be
> right for a very small percentage of users.

No, easy is right for all. Those who seek more complex functionality
should, indeed, _seek_ it. It's not like this would prevent anyone who
figures out how to add an applet to the panel from using it. Just
would not confuse those who don't benefit from it.

> Users that spend the
> least amount of time on the computer, on top of it.

Yeah! No need for multitasking if you only do some little things once
in a while ;)

--
Kalle Vahlman, zuh iki fi
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