On Tue, Jul 7, 2009 at 10:48 AM, Alex Launi
<alex.launi@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
First off, netbooks are not a fair use-case for this discussion. The limitations
of the form-factor may require entirely a different solution to common
problems. This much is apparent when comparing Ubuntu Desktop to
Ubuntu Netbook Remix.
Don't think this is true. I see many presentations give on netbooks. Because they're so portable they lend themselves to this, and with so many great presentation apps being in the cloud, it's even easier.
I'm sorry, I wasn't suggesting that presentations are not given on netbooks. Rather, I'm suggesting that due to the limitations of the form-factor (mainly screen real-estate) notifications may need to be handled/suppressed differently.
Now, if you're watching a full-screen movie and waiting for an important notification, then I would think watching that movie full-screen isn't your best option. Remember, these are transient notifications... there's no guarantee you'll notice it anyways. If, for example, IM is your priority then you'll likely want your contact list or the Pidgin tray icon showing anyways. Same goes for full-screen Firefox or monodevelop. Are you waiting for a notification, or busy working with an application? I admit, I'm proposing a trade-off between screen real-estate and the importance of a non-critical, transient notification.
No ones waiting for a notification, we're doing stuff, and don't want our notifications turned off. If none come, or we miss them, so be it, but we certainly want the opportunity.
Weighed against the configuration set and dialogues being proposing, I still think that "full-screen = I'm busy" is a reasonable assumption to make with the vast majority of the user population. I would venture a guess that most users don't even use, let alone understand how to, full-screen non-media applications like Firefox or monodevelop.
In general, I realize that for some people, full-screening the
application is not a fair "I'm busy" indicator, but for the wider
user population I believe this does hold true. Remember, the notifications
we're referring to are transient, non-critical, peripheral information
bits that the user can easily miss anyways. They shouldn't represent a central part of the user's workflow.
If they are central to a user's workflow then notify-osd isn't the right solution.
Transient, but not absolutely worthless. If it's worthless, then it shouldn't be sent in the first place. This assertion is also based on the idea that netbooks are a different case, which I dont think is the case for presentations. Maybe for movies and text editors, but I'm not really sure.
It's not just about the messages being transient and non-critical, but rather about them being so in combination with the decision to full-screen an application, which is certainly a statement of some enhanced importance being given to the full-screen application.
We also have to weigh all this against the proposed alternative of additional configuration or a "presentation mode", and the pitfalls of that solution. Users could forget to set presentation mode, miss the notification that reminds them to do so, forget to come out of presentation mode. I think there are just too many ways for the wider population of users to misconfigure that system. Just consider the case where one is in a hurry to setup for a presentation that is already starting late. Will they really remember to set presentation mode? If they glance away from the screen they might miss the reminder notification too.
This seems like something that should be a dialog, not a notification.
A dialog while in a rush, with perhaps your audience sitting right there may not be well received by the user population. :) And then there's the difficulty of determining when to show this dialogue. Only for presentations? How about movies? Full-screen Firefox (I've done this for a presentation)? This is not even to speak of the UX (in)correctness of pop-up dialogues.