Re: [Usability] [Fwd: Re: [Fwd: Re: Zoom Controls]]

[Allan Day <allanpday gmail com>]

> > * To me, the feedback provided by sliders or percentage indicators (like
> > those shown in Nautilus and EoG's statusbar) doesn't seem particularly
> > useful. Generally, a user doesn't need to know if they are zoomed at
> > 150% or if they have zoomed through half of the magnification range.
> 
> I agree about the relative to the zoom end part, but the % indication
> is very useful to me as an icon designer.
> I think there are also a lot of use cases where they can be handy to
> people taking pictures.
> Removing it probably won't affect a huge group, but leaving it in
> doesn't either.

Sure, a percentage indicator is useful in some technical ways. It's
entirely appropriate to have something like that in the GIMP or Inkscape
or even F-Spot. It doesn't seem helpful to have it in Nautilus, though.
I'm unsure about the case of EoG...

> > * The icons used for zooming are a bit problematic. Each of them
> > features a magnifying glass containing either a + or a - or a 1 or a
> > kind of box (for best fit). Though the magnifying glass does a good job
> > in saying 'these are zoom controls', it introduces unnecessary
> > repetition when you have two or three zoom icons next to each other.
> > There's too much noise and the magnifying glass reduces the presence of
> > the + or - or whatever.
> 
> We fixed this in 2.30. We don't have the loupes anymore as zoom icons.
> instead we just use squares with marks in them. Like [+], [-], [1].

That's great! You're way ahead of me. ;)

> > * The relationship between normal zoom and 1:1 zoom seems a bit fuzzy.
> > In EoG, 1:1 is described as 'Normal Size'. Nautilus also has 'Normal
> > Size', but it is something quite different. The icon for normal size is
> > called 'zoom-original' but would seem to convey the notion of 1:1,
> > rather than the notion of 'Normal Size' used by Nautilus.
> 
> 'Normal size' seems best to me. I think 'Normal Zoom' only works in English.

Cool. I think what I was trying (badly) to say is that there are two
different zoom states that are both being described as 'Normal Size': a
1:1/100% level (as seen in EoG) and to describe the default zoom level
(as in Nautilus). Basically, I think EoG should replace 'Normal Size'
with '100%' or '1:1', or something.

> > * Apps should use a standard set (and arrangement) of buttons.
> I think it differs a lot per app. We should assess each app and see
> what is needed.

Sure - I agree. I guess what I was suggesting is that we try as much as
possible to vary on a theme. It would be nice if F-Spot used the same +
and - icons as other apps, for example, and it would be nice if EoG had
the + to the right of - like everyone else.

It would also be cool (but not essential) if all zoom controls were
bracketed by a + on the right and a - on the left (for identifiability
reasons). You could then vary what's in the middle, whether it's a
slider or a combobox or extra buttons.

> > * Avoid the idea/word 'Normal', since this could be confusing (different
> > people will have different ideas of what normal is). Instead, use Best
> > Fit and some notion of 1:1 when it is needed (maybe '1:1 Zoom'?).
> > Typically, Best Fit will be the default view.
> 
> 'Best Fit' seems the best translatable.

Cool. :)

Allan
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