Fwd: Re: Need user feedback - PPC issues

[Bart Szyszka]

> Krayon is nothing like Windows Paint.  Krayon has a nice implementation
> of layers and channels and much more.  The comment doesn't really
> deserve an answer, except that people who have not seen or used Krayon
> might believe it, and I don't want that misreprentation to stand
> unchallenged.
I'm not saying that Krayon is *like* Windows Paint and I'm not criticizing
the program itself, but rather your intentions/goals for what Krayon should
be.

> There are many things about Gimp that I don't want to duplicate and some
> that I do want to parallel in functionality.  It goes much deeper.
> Krayon has a very different approach from Gimp or Photoshop to some
> basic actions, but some other things are taken after Gimp.
Exactly what are you talking about, though? Gimp/Photoshop's interface
or the actual uses for the program? I've used Photoshop for roughly
5 years and several other graphics programs before and after. I've also
dabled with Gimp, though I don't like a lot of things about it (namely
its interface). However, the crux of the matter is that both Gimp and
Photoshop are intended or can be used as a tool for professional
web-based graphics. Are you saying that this *isn't* what you intend
for Krayon to be? Because it's what I want it to be. A full-fledged graphics
program that I could use to make websites and basic print things.

> The emphasis in Krayon will always be on painting, not on image
> processing.
Painting as in drawing pictures or as in creating graphics. I would
equivocate image processing as touching up photos. Touching up photos
isn't on my top list of expectations for Krayon, but on the other hand
a lot of the tools you use for touching up photos can be used for
web graphics creation.

> > > Importing photoshop docs is not something I've even considered and
will
> > > be in the distant future, if at all.  I've never used photoshop.  A
higher
> > > priority is importing gimp .xcf files, and if it can be done through
> > > Gimp I'll probably choose that route.
> > Gimp can import PSDs. Can't you borrow the code?
> Yes.  It's all GPL.
So are you going to attempt to borrow or use the code in some way to allow
Krayon to have PSD support after all?

> A very superficial critique. You can switch krayon's dock to either
> side, or completely undock it and turn it into a dialog, or hide it, all
> with a single click.  I find Killustrator's slideout docks to be
> extremely irritating and confusing, and they get in the way of work.
What I'm really saying is that you and the Killustrator people should
get together and decide which is better. There's no need for the
two programs to have completely different UIs for the same types
of tools. It increases the learning curve for people wanting to learn
one program after having learned the other.

> the context of doing real work, the sidebar is better.  I know it goes
> against current buzzwords, but put yourself in the place of a user.
Which buzwoords? I really see no problem with the sidebar, though
Killustrator's tools do seem to be more flexible at the moment. At
least their functions seem to be more visibly apparent.

> Actually the slideouts came from Kivio.  They do look nice, but are
> harder to use especially with more than one slidout in action.
For most of my tools, I would probably keeps things on the screen, but
for functions I use less often, rather than completely hiding the tools,
I'd rather dock it and make it slid-n. Photoshop 6 has a feature like
that now. Actually, since I'm currently in Windows, I can make a few
screenshots for you.

> Ultimately all Koffice apps will probably use toolbars insead of
> sidebars or docks or slideouts.
Sounds like a good idea.

- Bart