[indiana-discuss] [desktop-discuss] Indiana desktop UI spec - 2nd draft

[Richard Lowe]

Richard Elling <Richard.Elling at Sun.COM> writes:

> Calum Benson wrote:
>> On 11 Apr 2008, at 08:50, Calum Benson wrote:
>>   
>>> Just realised I forgot to post the results-- been a bit distracted
>>> with the CHI conference in Florence this week.
>>>
>>> The result of the vote was:
>>>
>>> 1. Bottom panel+launch menu:                       25 (42.4%)
>>> 2. Option 1 + side lancher panel:                   4 (6.8%)
>>> 3. Top panel with menubar and side launcher panel:  4 (6.8%)
>>> 4. Top and bottom panels with menu bar:            26 (44.1%)
>>>
>>> 15 people also added comments, which I haven't read yet and may
>>> obviously have some further insight... will digest those when I get
>>> home.
>>>     
>>
>> So, in the interests of transparency, below are those comments,  
>> categorised by which selection each commenter made.
>>
>> My interpretation of the feedback would be:
>>
>> * The GNOME default panel configuration (top and bottom with main  
>> menu) seems to be just as popular as the 'JDS' configuration (bottom  
>> panel with launch menu).  Other than any reasons that the folks  
>> responsible for branding might yet come up with, IMHO there's no  
>> overwhelming reason not to keep going with the GNOME default for  
>> Indiana, as we've done in the preview releases up to now.
>>
>> * Given the 50/50 split between the two most popular choices, we  
>> probably ought to consider adding a simple first-time-login layout  
>> chooser.  (Given the timescales, this would most likely have to happen  
>> post-1.0, though.)
>>   
>
> No, please, no!  Don't ask any more questions!  Every question is an
> opportunity for someone to be confused and complain that it is too
> complex.  KISS.  They can always change it in the preferences later.

I would agree, and say the obvious choice, unless I've missed
something, is to leave things as they are now, while making a final
decision.  I agree that asking questions is bad, especially unfamaliar
questions, and beyond that, questions about something the user can
trivally change to match their own desires.  It's a default, you're
not engraving it onto the users forehead, or anything of similar
permanence.

-- Rich