unity-design team mailing list archive

[Colin Law <clanlaw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 11 December 2012 20:55, Thibaut Brandscheid <randaltor@xxxxxx> wrote:
> On Tue, Dec 11, 2012 at 9:10 PM, Josh Strawbridge
> <holyknightjoshua@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>
>> just because an application ships with ubuntu doesn't mean that ubuntu has
>> anything to do with actually working on the program.
>
> I'm aware about that. The reason why I post it here is because I think it's
> an general UX design problem.
>
>> personally, i'm against the idea.
>> it is true that i rarely use them and do ignore them for the most part but
>> when i do use them they're very helpful and serve their purpose well.
>
> I have nothing against the sort functionality, I do think that the current
> design - how a user can sort content - is wrong from an UX perspective.
>
>>
>> i'd hate to have a file manager or any music player without options to
>> sort by this or that.
>> i don't use them with my e-mail but i do sort important mail that i need
>> to keep into different folders for generally the same purpose.
>
> The question is, are you part of the main user group Ubuntu is targeting? As
> I understand Ubuntu, it tries to be an OS for every one and because most
> users are not computer experts the UI and basic functionality has to be
> simple (not stupid simple, functionality simple). Sorting is nice, yes, but
> should it be achieved the way it is currently?

As well as being simple for a basic user facilities that more
sophisticated users need must be provided.  Next you will be
suggesting removing split screen and tree view from Nautilus.  No-one
would ever suggest that.

>> On Tue, Dec 11, 2012 at 9:27 PM, Gabriel Pettier
>> <gabriel.pettier@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> I would hate this too, even if you seldomly use it, doesn't need you won't
>> find it infuriating that > it went away when you'll actually need it. I'm
>> pretty sure people would hate to have them
>> removed.
>
> Yes, we need the sort functionality, but do we need this one-click-buttons
> in the "front UI"?
> If you would have to go to the settings, or would have to right click to
> unlock and make the Sort-By buttons visible and editable, would that be such
> a big loss?

That is a different suggestion to your original idea, which was to
remove them completely.  I would have nothing against the idea of
being able to disable them.  But you also need a means of specifying
what the default sort is, so this is adding significantly to the
preferences.

>
>
> How often are the buttons used?
> rarely

Most days by me, for sorting columns in nautilus for example.  It
would be painful to have to go to the preferences to change it.  Often
I switch to date sorting to see which files have changed then back to
sorting by name.

>
> Do they represent a key functionality in an application?
> no
>
> How much space do they take?
> They use horizontally quite much space (horizontal space is really valuable
> space)

I don't see how they take space in nautilus, or do you think the
column headings are not necessary?  They certainly do not take up any
horizontal space.

Colin