[Plasma] looks and usability of applet handle frame

Janz email.ajj at gmail.com
Fri Jun 27 22:37:24 CEST 2008


Celeste,

I agree about the inconsistent moving interaction. Even 'cause (I'm new to
KDE/Qt world but I don't think it'd be different) drag and click events are
distinct, so I supose it would be possible, e.g., for Analog clock to allow
clicking and dragging it to move and clicking it to open the calendar (but I
don't know if the plasmoid developer has control over drag event anyway so
that wouldn't be guaranteed).

But I think that, from what is proposed till now, move all plasmoids by
clicking and dragging them instead of a border or icon is, imho, easier and
more intuitive to the user, as it's what we're used to do mostly: carry
objects holding somewhere on themselves (except when there are form
constraints - as size or shape -, then we have a handler, as a plasmoid
developer would provide or leave some empty space on a plasmoid he fully
filled all it's place with, e.g., text fields or other non-draggable stuff).

Dismissing the border would allow the options to appear in a small area
anywhere around the plasmoids (exactly how and where they do but without the
move icon and that whole border). I think an extra click or hovering a
cashew or similar is extra job to a simple action of, for example, remove
the plasmoid.



2008/6/27 Celeste Lyn Paul <celeste at kde.org>:

>
> I´m not sure if on-click interaction is consistent in all widgets.  For
> example, most widgets have click and drag but for the Digital Clock widget,
> click opens the calendar.  It is not click-and-drag to move like the other
> widgets.  I only have the 10 widgets that come by default, but I imagine
> there are other exceptions.
>
> The question becomes: should the on-click interaction be the same for all
> widgets (then we can think about your proposal more)?  Otherwise we have to
> stick with the border interaction.
>
> Truthfully I´m not too comfortable with the inconsistent interaction
> because
> it requires you to learn idiosyncracies of each widget instead of
> class-level
> interaction.  Are there any widgets where it makes sense that click does
> something else (like open the calendar in Digital Clock).  Making
> interaction
> with widgets consistent should be a goal, regardless if the
> function/configure icons stay in the same place or are adjusted
>
> On Friday 27 June 2008 07:05:18 Ismael Asensio wrote:
> > Here it goes my proposal:
> >
> > Use icons over the plasmoid itself avoiding the extra handle frame. The
> > feel of these icons would be pretty much like those on old amaroker
> plugin
> > for kicker.
> >
> > All icons are desaturated (ala cashew) but still recognizable, until the
> > mouse goes over one of them. This icon "recovers the color" with an
> > animation (sorry for the untechnical expresion) and it's ready to be
> > clicked by the user. Of course, this behaviour only happens when the
> > desktop components are unlocked, and I'm supposing that in this state the
> > user only wants to play with the layout of plasmoids, not to interact
> with
> > them.
> >
> > Every action can be place in a different corner of the plasmoid, to help
> > easy recognition, not only by the icon, but by its position. You can
> easily
> > remember that, for example, rotation is low-left corner and changing size
> > is low-right, etc. The center of the plasmoid (greater area, easy to
> click)
> > can be set for dragging the plasmoid.
> >
> > Visually, it could be like the image attached. Sorry for the HORRIBLE
> > HORRIBLE mock-up. It's done in a quick&dirty way with MS paint at job
> > office... but I hope it helps to get the idea.
> >
> > 2008/6/27 Loïc Marteau <loic.marteau at gmail.com>:
> > > Hello !
> > >
> > > Sorry if this has already been talked but i would like to open a thread
> > > about the frame draws by the applet handle.
> > > For people wo doesn't know well plasma terminology I talk about the
> > > configuration frame who appears when mouse is over a plasmoid so the
> > > user can resize, rotate, configure or move the plasmoid on the Desktop
> > >
> > > My personal opinion is that this frame is not very pretty and that
> there
> > > is not interest to make it an entire frame around the applet. So I feel
> > > that it disturbs the user visually and functionally speaking.
> > >
> > > Perhaps we can :
> > >
> > >    * just keep the small area who contains the icons, and add a move
> > > icon. * better imho to a maximum reduce the visual pollution : add a
> > > cashew for that ! on the top right corner of each applets
> > >          o The cashew let appears icons and text for each possible
> > >            action when mouse is over the cashew and not on mouse click
> > >            so we don't need to make one more click than before for
> > >            doing the same thing.
> > >          o Like first solution, add a move icon.
> > >    * Other ideas...
> > >
> > > What do you think about ?
> > >
> > > Cheers !
> > >
> > > Loic
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Panel-devel mailing list
> > > Panel-devel at kde.org
> > > https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/panel-devel
>
>
>
> --
> Celeste Lyn Paul
> celeste at kde.org
> KDE Usability Project
> usability.kde.org
> _______________________________________________
> Panel-devel mailing list
> Panel-devel at kde.org
> https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/panel-devel
>



-- 
JJ (|´:¬{)»
---------------------------------------------
"Eu sou a ressurreição e a vida. Quem crê em mim, ainda que morra, viverá; e
todo o que vive e crê em mim não morrerá, eternamente. Crês isto?"
O Senhor, Jesus Cristo - Jo.11:25-26
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