On Wed, 2008-10-22 at 10:36 +0800, Long Gao wrote: > The original Gnome start menu have three menu items, and I always > found myself puzzled of thinking which menu to click when I want to do > something. I thought it not so convenient as windows start menu. > > Here I have implemented a new start menu by modifying gnome-panel > source. It uses gtk-image-menu-item widget, and is in fact a new > window. It has all the gnome menu functions, except that the menu > items are rearranged. I upload some screenshots of it, and I want to > know whether you would like it. > > screenshots of the new start menu > > http://www.flickr.com/photos/[EMAIL > PROTECTED]/2962581547/in/set-72157608249326794/ > http://www.flickr.com/photos/[EMAIL > PROTECTED]/2962581551/in/set-72157608249326794/ > _______________________________________________ > Usability mailing list > [email protected] > http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/usability
Long, I for one welcome the idea but I do not quite understand what this would solve. (And as a lurker I want to make it super clear I am merely one person and do not represent everyone here). There are many advantages to the GNOME menu bar and many disadvantages to the Start menu that power users do not immediately see. I will list some of them. First of all, the Start menu is built as if there is very little space to spare, thus requiring that every function be crammed into a single collapsing box. That is not actually the case! We have TONS of horizontal space in which to fit more descriptive menu headings and to readily present the user with options. The start menu just hides all of those under "Start" for superficial reasons. When Start is unfolded, it suddenly consumes an /unnecessary/ amount of screen space. Many call it intuitive; after all, everything is now one click away. However, there is no specific context for the myriad of options present in there. There are some random places, some random applications, another button leading to /more/ applications, a shut down button, the System Configuration button... all sorts of things. For a lot of users, this is information overload. (A nice test for this type of thing is to run it through a screen reader and see if it still makes sense). If, however, that myriad of options is filtered at the first click - that is unfolding the menu in the first place - everything is solved. The menu now has a strict context so the user can start in the correct menu and so that the menu can be populated intuitively with content relevant to what the user wants to do. With the menu bar we can clearly present the user with three distinct points of entry. He can manage files, locate inserted drives and get to his photo collection with Places. If he wants to play a game, he looks for an Application. If he wants to edit his user accounts or shut down, he realizes that is a System function. This could always do with some fiddling, I think, for example a music collection could be viewed by some as a Place, but I think it is well on the right track and in no need of overhaul. The flaw with a Start Menu is that it always assumes the user wants to Start. Having said all that, the start menu has its place for those who like their buttons close together! I recommend implementing this as a new panel applet so that it could ultimately appear as something the user can add to his panel instead of vying for position as a default, since it looks like you have some good stuff going on here. I also recommend that you check out SUSE Linux's very nice "Slab" main menu. A distribution derived from Debian will probably have this packaged simply as "main-menu". It is a Start Menu type of design in that a complex interface unfolds from the single menu button, but it also incorporates some ideas from the menu bar such as having three distinct sections for different functions. I see that you are of course using GNOME with a different language than I do, so is it possible the translation is just imprecise, leading to confusion? In English the menu has Applications, Places and System, which makes sense to me, but perhaps the words are not as specific in your translation. That would certainly be worth looking into! Bye, -Dylan McCall _______________________________________________ Usability mailing list [email protected] http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/usability
