[indiana-discuss] [desktop-discuss] 2008.11 UI Spec

[Stephen Hahn]

* Frank Ludolph <Frank.Ludolph at Sun.COM> [2008-08-08 21:37]:
>    I would say that it is still under discussion. The problem of putting a
>    reg icon on the desktop is that it does not allow for informing users of
>    incentives to register. We are investigating ways of presenting "Next
>    Steps" (and  initiating registration) other than a simple web page. The
>    reg icon can always be added back to the desktop if other approaches don't
>    work out.
 
  I would vote for a simple "next steps" application, which would be a
  launcher, perhaps with some time-varying or external means of changing
  what tasks are emphasized, over using a browser.

>    For 2008.11 the package manager GUI icon is being placed in the upper
>    panel next to FireFox and Thunderbird which makes it quite visible and it
>    won't be covered by windows. It will also get a tooltip to inform users of
>    its purpose, something that desktop icons do not have.

  The icon graphic will be unfamiliar--being new, if nothing else--so
  deciding to read the panel icon's tooltip requires some deliberate
  curiosity, whereas the desktop icon comes with a text label.  Maybe
  there's a classic usability study that shows the distribution of
  curiosity for new users; an appropriate citation would be very
  soothing...

  - Stephen
  
-- 
sch at sun.com  http://blogs.sun.com/sch/