Re: [Usability] Questions

[Alan Horkan <horkana maths tcd ie>]

On Sat, 14 Jan 2006, Juan Manuel wrote:

> Date: Sat, 14 Jan 2006 20:43:37 -0500
> From: Juan Manuel <ptero 4 gmail com>
> To: usability gnome org
> Subject: [Usability] Questions
>
> I just saw chapter 4 of the gnome hig 2.0. And I want to know. Why the
> menubar must be put inside the application window?

The Gnome Human Interface Guidelines (HIG) provide developers with
instructions on how to make their applications fit in and be consistent
with the Gnome applications which exist already and that is part of the
reason for the guideline.  More importantly GTK does not lend itself to
anything else.

> Is there any REAL usability difference between putting a MacOS-like
> menubar applet in the top panel which shows the menubar of the active
> app.

Yes.  Well at least some people think the Mac way of doing things makes
better use of the valuable edge space, a principle known as Fitts Law.

> And the current windoze-like way of using the menubar?

It isn't about Microsoft, but it is more like almost everyone except Apple
has used this way.

There are various people who are interested in trying out a Mac like top
panel in Gnome if support for it is ever added to GTK.  The main
limitation is technical, what is needed is developers interested in doing
the work.

This has been discussed many times before and you should be able to find
out more if you search the mailing list archives:
http://mail.gnome.org/archives/usability/
http://mail.gnome.org/archives/desktop-devel-list/

There isn't much left to be said which hasn't been mentioend already.

Sincerely

- Alan H.