Re: [Usability] Gnome usability question regarding preference dialog

[Steve Fosdick <lists pelvoux nildram co uk>]

On Wed, 2009-01-28 at 09:37 +0000, Rui Tiago Cação Matos wrote:
> 2009/1/28 Anirudh Sanjeev <andy ninjagod com>:
> > Hi,
> >
> > I'm writing an application targeted towards gnome users. I've noticed
> > most of the preference windows have only a "close" button. Often, an
> > accidentally changed setting cannot be reverted unless you know the
> > older setting.
> >
> > While this seems counter intuitive for me, I just wanted to know why
> > such a system is in place, as I'm sure there's a pretty good reason.
> > While this paradigm saves the trouble of clicking "apply", the danger
> > lurking in a preference dialog is always a little worrisome.
> 
> Have you read the HIG? In particular, to answer your question:
> 
> http://library.gnome.org/devel/hig-book/stable/windows-utility.html.en

I read the section you refer to above and it does not appear to answer
the original question.  It instructs the application designer to use
"instant apply" where possible but doesn't discuss why and doesn't
mention anything about having "undo" or "reset" to defaults" for instant
apply.

Interestingly in the case of non-instant apply dialogs it says that the
cancel button should leave everything as it was before the user started
tinkering.

I seem to remember there being some discussion previously, perhaps it
was here, about undo history for config changes.

http://library.gnome.org/devel/hig-book/stable/principles-forgiveness.html.en

The above link suggests forgiving the user and mentions undo as one
mechanism for doing that.  Normally this is applied to the data the user
us working on, i.e. the document or other entity the application is
designed to process but there are undoubtedly cases where the user has
been tinkering in a preferences dialog and then realises that he has
actually made things worse and would like to go back to how things were
before he started tinkering and either abandon his editing of the
preferences or try a different tack.

Regards,
Steve.