unity-design team mailing list archive

[Mark Shuttleworth <mark@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On 08/02/12 14:23, Petko wrote:
> On 02/08/2012 03:40 PM, Mark Shuttleworth wrote:
> > You didn't answer the question. The total number of options will stay 
> > the same or decrease. Which TWO options do you propose to remove, 
> > since in your view they are less important than the option to have a 
> > window-dodging launcher?
> The thing is I think the question is flawed . For me the optimum (for 
> this option) is three (taking into account all the user psychology 
> stuff) . (and if I really have to choose it would be your choice ,but 
> I don't think that matters)

I didn't phrase the question well, sorry.

The total number of preferences, settings, and options across the WHOLE 
ubuntu system should stay constant or decrease. Which two options from 
anywhere in System Settings would you propose to remove, to fit this new 
option into the budget?


>   I see what you mean , but I just don't think that the current 
> problem can generate such a situation in the real world (more than one 
> in ,say, 20 000) . I would just put it to the test , because as I said 
> in my previous mail , I don't think we can science out this particular 
> situation . On the next test wave (I don't remember how you formulated 
> the testing process) just make the users try out customizing their 
> system ( as you probably do) with the three step option in behaviour . 
> Say :
>
> *Launcher behaviour *: O always visible
>                                       O  auto hide
>                                       O dodge windows
>
> One more thing (I should have thought of earlier) - if you expose a 
> user to auto-hide and expect him to know how to make the launcher show 
> up , I'd say the same user would know what to try out when the 
> launcher disappears in "dodge windows" mode .

We do test this with users. I've described the results. It's expensive 
to test, so it's worth simply applying what we have learned in the past, 
rather than testing everything for every micro-change.

What we have learned in the past is that users who experience the dodge 
separate from an actual immediate consequence to their own action, are 
confused by it. That makes the dodge a bad, broken idea. Period. No 
matter how much you may love it, or I may love it, it's not a good idea 
to expose to users.

Mark