Re: [Usability] A New Start Menu Design, which resemble windows

[Dylan McCall <dylanmccall gmail com>]

On Wed, 2008-10-22 at 10:36 +0800, Long Gao wrote:
> The original Gnome start menu have three menu items, and I always
> found myself puzzled of thinking which menu to click when I want to do
> something. I thought it not so convenient as windows start menu.
> 
> Here I have implemented a new start menu by modifying gnome-panel
> source. It uses gtk-image-menu-item widget, and is in fact a new
> window. It has all the gnome menu functions, except that the menu
> items are rearranged.  I upload some screenshots of it, and I want to
> know whether you would like it. 
> 
> screenshots of the new start menu
> 
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/31611994 N05/2962581547/in/set-72157608249326794/
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/31611994 N05/2962581551/in/set-72157608249326794/
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Long, I for one welcome the idea but I do not quite understand what this
would solve. (And as a lurker I want to make it super clear I am merely
one person and do not represent everyone here).

There are many advantages to the GNOME menu bar and many disadvantages
to the Start menu that power users do not immediately see. I will list
some of them.

First of all, the Start menu is built as if there is very little space
to spare, thus requiring that every function be crammed into a single
collapsing box. That is not actually the case! We have TONS of
horizontal space in which to fit more descriptive menu headings and to
readily present the user with options. The start menu just hides all of
those under "Start" for superficial reasons.

When Start is unfolded, it suddenly consumes an /unnecessary/ amount of
screen space. Many call it intuitive; after all, everything is now one
click away. However, there is no specific context for the myriad of
options present in there. There are some random places, some random
applications, another button leading to /more/ applications, a shut down
button, the System Configuration button... all sorts of things. For a
lot of users, this is information overload. (A nice test for this type
of thing is to run it through a screen reader and see if it still makes
sense).

If, however, that myriad of options is filtered at the first click -
that is unfolding the menu in the first place - everything is solved.
The menu now has a strict context so the user can start in the correct
menu and so that the menu can be populated intuitively with content
relevant to what the user wants to do.

With the menu bar we can clearly present the user with three distinct
points of entry. He can manage files, locate inserted drives and get to
his photo collection with Places. If he wants to play a game, he looks
for an Application. If he wants to edit his user accounts or shut down,
he realizes that is a System function. This could always do with some
fiddling, I think, for example a music collection could be viewed by
some as a Place, but I think it is well on the right track and in no
need of overhaul.

The flaw with a Start Menu is that it always assumes the user wants to
Start.


Having said all that, the start menu has its place for those who like
their buttons close together! I recommend implementing this as a new
panel applet so that it could ultimately appear as something the user
can add to his panel instead of vying for position as a default, since
it looks like you have some good stuff going on here.

I also recommend that you check out SUSE Linux's very nice "Slab" main
menu. A distribution derived from Debian will probably have this
packaged simply as "main-menu". It is a Start Menu type of design in
that a complex interface unfolds from the single menu button, but it
also incorporates some ideas from the menu bar such as having three
distinct sections for different functions.


I see that you are of course using GNOME with a different language than
I do, so is it possible the translation is just imprecise, leading to
confusion? In English the menu has Applications, Places and System,
which makes sense to me, but perhaps the words are not as specific in
your translation. That would certainly be worth looking into!


Bye,
-Dylan McCall