unity-design team mailing list archive

[Chow Loong Jin <hyperair@xxxxxxxxx>]

On 02/11/2011 12:25, James Jenner wrote:
> 
> The solution before the current solution was to have a toolbar with buttons for
> common actions. Who said that the solution that was 'current' previously had to
> change?

Upstream, I guess, but wouldn't you agree it looks much cleaner this way?

> I'm not aware of anyone saying that all options should be available by a
> toolbar. Just the common ones. One idea would be to allow a user to choose what
> the buttons are available on the toolbar. Maybe have a default set based on the
> common use cases for a browser.

The default set *is* based on common use cases. Except, say, the search button
which I've never used. But yes, a configurable toolbar would be nice.

> And you haven't addressed the issue for accessibility. Not everyone is adapt at
> multi-key pressing like you are. Do we just ignore people who have poor
> dexterity so there can be an 'uncluttered' interface (which is a subjective
> measure, I would have argued that the previous interface was 'uncluttered').

It really isn't hard to hit Ctrl+[1-3]. No, really. See, your thumb goes on the
control key.. and your third finger goes on the number key. Was that so hard?
(Let's ignore for a moment the whole hand-must-stay-on-home-row case, because if
we go into that, we should obviously exchange the Caps lock key for a Ctrl key
and then it gets even easier).

> And please don't use reductio ad absurdum, I could equally say that based on
> your logic all toolbars from all applications should be removed because it will
> be 'uncluttered'. I would presume that would be equally absurd as your claim
> that based on our logic all options should be on a toolbar.

I was just ranking things by how frequently used they were. You may change views
often, but I don't, and in fact, I use the "Show hidden files" option a lot more.

Hence, if we're going to add the change-view buttons onto the toolbar, then
please add my show hidden files button, and every $button that everyone else
uses most frequently as well to be fair to everyone.

I think I've just demonstrated here that this is an option that is rather
subjective based on the type of user you're looking at -- a corner case. On the
other hand, putting every other toolbar option into the menu (in Nautilus's
case, the back/forward button which I'm sure everyone uses, the breadcrumbs and
location bar which I'm also sure everyone uses), is rather absurd in comparison.
If anyone was using "reductio ad absurdum", that would be you.

-- 
Kind regards,
Loong Jin

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