Widget Explorer usability problems

[Aaron J. Seigo]

On January 11, 2010, Sean wrote:
> The click and hold idea doesn't solve the issue, which is; You shouldn't
> put too many categories in the filter UI. (Usability). Something like, 
> Most used, Favourites, running. Why not mirror the Kickoff and use terms
> the user knows or let the search box filter the widgets as it does now?

because they don't know the categories, and showing ALL the widgets without a 
way to narrow them down is even worse. a possible solution would be a combobox 
showing the categories, but then we're back to a popup which some were trying 
to avoid in the first place. it would also mean syncronizing the tab widget 
with a combobox if the tab widget was kept.

> Not being able to remove widgets from the desktop via the UI makes it look
> like some watered down place. 

the point is to add widgets, not remove widgets that are running. we had bug 
reports about this, in fact, where people would accidently remove widgets. it 
is the *Add* Widgets interface after all.

> Do you expect users to edit their plasma
> config just to remove widgets that cannot be removed via the normal
> way?(yes it happens)

can you give me the steps to reproduce, please? because it shouldn't happen. 
that would be a bug. papering over one bug by diminishing other UI elements 
isn't the best of solutions.

> It doesn't seem logical that you can add a widget and
> see it running but not remove it from the same UI.

think about multiple instances of the same widget. it should become evident 
why it isn't done.
 
> I think the running widgets should be showed via a small green
> glow underneath the widget running(green usually means on, go, working).

a mock up of this would be nice; it could work well, i think. may be 
"interesting" to code, but that hasn't stopped us quite yet ;)

> Why not use the same idea and make it a small button, green for on like a
> switch(the green glow would disappear when you click it and it removes the
> widget).

multiple widgets of the same type. or do you only want one folder view?

-- 
Aaron J. Seigo
humru othro a kohnu se
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