Can we compile a list of suggestions on how to improve the defaults? Is there a wiki where we could compile the list?
-- T. J. On Tue, Nov 2, 2010 at 3:21 PM, RGB ES <rgb.m...@gmail.com> wrote: > A big +1 > That's why I started the thread about better defaults: this will help > a lot more than a new, shiny but unknown interface. > OOo/LibO interface IS modern and flexible (contextual toolbars, > dockers... everything customizable), but it have horrible defaults > values. > A couple of fixes here and there (some toolbars do not work well when > vertical) at it will be just perfect. > > 2010/11/2 T. J. Brumfield <enderand...@gmail.com>: > > The OOo team has been working two years on Project Renaissance. And > there is > > a long running thread here in the discuss archives of a UI prototype. > While > > that particular prototype looks clean/sharp, I think all this dicussion > on > > radically altering the UI is unnecessary. > > > > One of the advantages of LibreOffice/OOo over MS Office is that the > > interface is familiar and easy to grasp. And while the Ribbon interface > has > > improved from 2007 to 2010, it is still unpopular for a reason. The core > > ideal of a dynamic interface that shows the most common features sounds > good > > on paper, but occassionally you need the lesser used features and you > can't > > find them. Menus still provide a familiar and easy to use method of > > organizing a large number of features. > > > > Given the large number of features and complexity of office suites, one > > needs to consider both use cases. Most of the time we only need a small > > number of features and we want these conveniently located. Thankfully > Lo/OOo > > handles this nicely today with keyboard shortcuts and toolbar icons. And > the > > laundry list of other features can be found in the drop-down menus. > > > > Most radical refactorings I've seen try to "clean" up the interface, but > > then hide most of the features. We're asking users to relearn a familiar > > interface, but why? > > > > The Office 2007/2010 interface looks nice largely due to nice use of > color, > > gradients, etc. The Lo/OOo interface looks antiquated largedly due to a > flat > > pallete. But the "ribbon" itself is an odd mish-mash of different sized > > icons that look like they were assembled at random. > > > > Honestly, if we kept the existing system of toolbars and drop-down menus, > > wouldn't most of our users be happy? If they had to re-learn a new > system, > > might it just drive users to Microsoft's office suite (if you have to > > re-learn, you might as well learn the system used by the masses)? > > > > I truly believe the current approach works and should be maintained, but > > improved. There might be some slight tweaks in how the menus are > organized. > > Toolbar defaults might be optimized. And the overall UI could be shined > up > > with some gloss, new icons, gradients, spot color, etc. > > > > If anything, I think we should be going the opposite direction. Instead > of > > chasing the Ribbon of 2007/2010, I think we should embrace the abandoned > > Office 2003 UI even more. Perhaps provide an option to all but completely > > mimic it. People forget, but Microsoft used this tactic themselves, > allowing > > an option for Word users to use Wordperfect key-mappings, and provided > > specific help for Wordperfect Users trying to migrate to Word. Since we > know > > most users coming to Lo/OOo are coming from Microsoft Office, shouldn't > we > > do our best to ease that transition? > > > > It would also be considerably less work than completely redesigning the > UI > > from scratch. That is more time that could be dedicated to improving the > > project in other ways. > > > > -- T. J. Brumfield > > "I'm questioning my education > > Rewind and what does it show? > > Could be, the truth it becomes you > > I'm a seed, wondering why it grows" > > -- Pearl Jam, Education > > > > -- > > Unsubscribe instructions: Email to > > discuss+h...@documentfoundation.org<discuss%2bh...@documentfoundation.org> > > Posting guidelines: http://netmeister.org/news/learn2quote.html > > Archive: http://www.documentfoundation.org/lists/discuss/ > > *** All posts to this list are publicly archived *** > > > > > > -- > Unsubscribe instructions: Email to > discuss+h...@documentfoundation.org<discuss%2bh...@documentfoundation.org> > Posting guidelines: http://netmeister.org/news/learn2quote.html > Archive: http://www.documentfoundation.org/lists/discuss/ > *** All posts to this list are publicly archived *** > -- Unsubscribe instructions: Email to discuss+h...@documentfoundation.org Posting guidelines: http://netmeister.org/news/learn2quote.html Archive: http://www.documentfoundation.org/lists/discuss/ *** All posts to this list are publicly archived ***
