increasing the usability of search dialogs

[Luciano Montanaro]

On Tuesday 16 May 2006 19:28, Thomas Zander wrote:

>
> From your email you clearly forget who we are targetting KDE for.
> One saying from usability is "You are not your user".  So, don't design
> to fit your needs best.
>

Sigh. I'm probably unable to communicate clearly. 
Quoting myself, from my previous message:


"I'll have to stress that defaults should be geared towards novice users, 
but there is no reason to tie the hands of those that can handle a little 
more. Since the underlying system allows that anyway."

So I do understand that regexps are not for everybody, thank you, but 
please, don't take them away altogether. For the KFind dialog (or toolbar), 
it would be ok for me if it were hidden in a "More options" section, 
together with case sensitive searches. I'm not advocating regexps for 
everybody, just that if the user requests regexps, or case sensitive 
searches, his preference be recorded for subsequent uses.

> > What I'd like to have, [snip]
>
> I fully understand you want something really quite powerful. But that
> will not make KDE a system that we can honestly put forward as a good
> solution for a huge audience.
> Another saying from usability; "Power users will find the features
> anyway".

If they are not removed for the sake of simplifying the interface.

> You are a power user, you are more then capable of clicking open that
> panel with the advanced features.
>
> Therefor I just repeat my earlier email that having regexp searching (or
> case sensitive searching for that matter) is an option that should not be
> visible per default.

Er... So how do I enable them, if they are not visible?

> Naturally that in no means takes away features or makes things less
> powerfull, its just not 'in your face'.

That would be all right with me.

What I think would enhance usability at all levels, from "programmers" 
through, er "Joe Sixpack" would be consistency. To stay with the search 
feature, this means that while it's good that Konqueror and KPDF have 
incremental and "unobstructive" search, it would be better still that any 
application had the same feature. It would be particularly useful in Kate, 
for example. 

Luciano
-- 
Łŭčīåñø Montanaro //
              \\ //
               \x/ www.cirulla.net