KDE/kdebase/workspace/plasma/generic/applets/systemtray/core

[Aaron J. Seigo]

On Sunday, October 31, 2010, Giulio Camuffo wrote:
> In data domenica 31 ottobre 2010 16:41:56, Aaron J. Seigo ha scritto:
> > the # of people and the # of times that this will cause real errors
> > versus the problems caused by not being able to distinguish attention
> > needers versus non- attention needers means this change probably makes
> > no sense.
> > 
> > yes, there are downsides to both ways of doing it. but now we're
> > optimizing for the fringe case.
> 
> I'm not an usability expert, but i think that moving icons under the mouse
> cursor is a rather grave usability issue.

most of the time the mouse isn't over the icon. as i said, it is now optimized 
for the _fringe case_.

if we really want to make sure we don't move icons when the mouse is over 
them, then before promoting the icon to the status area, check for the icon 
(or the system tray in general) being hovered. if it isn't, then move the 
icon. if it is, then mark the icon as needing to be moved and make the 
necessary move (if still needed) when the mouse moves out of the system tray.

> The user shouldn't look at the
> systray to see where the icon is, he should look at the application and be
> sure that where there previously was the icon there is still the same
> icon.

this is irrelevant for hiding icons, of course, so isn't a generally 
applicable statement to icons and needing attention.

and when it comes to "needing attention" that is something needs to be relayed 
to the user. that's the entire point of it. so as i outlined in my previous 
email: come up with a reliable and functional visual effect that can be 
applied to all attention needing icons.

breaking something to fix something else isn't a great solution, and that's 
what we now have. 

let's not even get into the fact that this is a change in behaviour which 
means the learned stimulus is going to change on our existing users, which 
will result in a period of perceived brokenness for those who are used to it 
and rely on that movement to note such things, which will translate into lower 
satisfaction for them and a period of "i don't quite trust this part of the 
UI".

> And i already explained why i don't think that moving an icon in the first
> place makes it so clear it requests attention.

a) it's a learned stimulus; it's not perhaps immediately obvious, but it 
becomes expected

b) it moves; that tends to catch attention.

c) it clusters icons of similar meaning

-- 
Aaron J. Seigo
humru othro a kohnu se
GPG Fingerprint: 8B8B 2209 0C6F 7C47 B1EA  EE75 D6B7 2EB1 A7F1 DB43

KDE core developer sponsored by Qt Development Frameworks
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 198 bytes
Desc: This is a digitally signed message part.
Url : http://mail.kde.org/pipermail/plasma-devel/attachments/20101031/69ee76f1/attachment.sig