Re: [Usability] Galeon feature implementation

>>>Jeff wrote:
>>>I don't understand Marco's reluctance to add developer oriented features
>>>in a sensible fashion.
>>
>>Marco wrote:
>>I dont understand your reclutance to add developer oriented features
>>in a sensible fashion.
>>rpm -i galeon-webdevel

I have expressed my opinion about this already, a while back, but since it 
is still not a decided issue, I'd like to write some more.

There has been several questions for usability experts' opinions about 
issues being discussed. Well, I know some "usability" (both study and 
work-wise), but I'd rather discuss these issues on peer-level. I'd rather 
not be quoted as somebody with some sort of authority.

That said, I'd really like to say that I know when I see a smart idea. The 
extension thingies (phoenix), while not the absolute truth, have such an 
incredible power over UI, if the development is done sensibly.

In no-extensions -case, it's possible to do one UI for all, resulting in a 
some sort of compromise, with obviously some of the users being more happy 
than others.

With Galeon that kind of solution would be (at least to me) a very limiting 
and short-sighted one.

Yes, it's easy (?) for a coder to think that fair enough compromise can be 
made with his own needs and that of the rest, but what about the other 
developers and any future developers?

Although it would be initially more work to build an extension framework and 
also some effort would have to go in maintaining it, I think the extra 
effort would definately pay off and I'd assert that it's not that much work, 
really.

So what are the great things that make extensions worth doing?

I can envision galeon having lot's of extensions. For UI, examples like:
- web developer addons
- web kiosk (instead of adding, how about removing/hiding stuff?)
- hardcore web surfer (extra tab/pref/etc -functionality/UI)
- Aunt Tilly (Insanely simple UI, everything works out-of-the-box) (yes, 
this is a bad example :)
- For Gnome2: Maximum Accessibility (simplifications, beyond the toolkit 
features)
- the fancy little extensions created by someones with specific itches
- some sensible combinations of the above

I can't honestly come up with really good examples, but that just highlights 
the point. With extensions _you_don't_have_to_. Instead of totally limiting 
the UI to the core developers, one could allow for unknown others to build 
extensions of their own. The amount of choice increases without hitting hard 
on the resources of the development team. Saying "oh, you can do that, but 
with an extension" is much better than "sorry, no can do. Your idea is not 
good enough for the whole userbase... you see, we have only one UI." (uh, 
it's oversimplification... but I hope it rings the bell...)

>>>Marco:
>>>- No unnecessary user interface clutter for non developers
>>
>>Jeff:
>>The interface to these features needn't be "clutter" for non-developers.
>>Claiming that it is all too hard, and throwing away the opportunity is
>>not useful.
>
>Marco:
>I never claimed it's all too hard. I just think the mantainance costs of
>a developer plugin are a worth cost for a cleaner interface for non 
>developers
>(no need of a Tools menu), and easier access to functionality for 
>developers
>(no Developer submenu in Tools). This is just my opininion, I see.

That is not only Marco's opinion. For all the practical purposes, the 
"developer" features are indeed clutter for "non-developers". Even with some 
cross-over, not all non-developers are interested in development. For those 
people, any UI they don't need is "clutter". Besides, with extensions the 
_user_ has the choice: they can get the developer extension if they want 
(any time they want).

And, that "clutter" argument is not even considering the fact that there are 
more than 2 possible UIs (as I already said). The "clutter" reflects the 
thinking of "me and the rest" or "us and them". The extensions reflects the 
thinking of "many different individuals with many different needs and goals, 
possibly exlusive, possibly complementary".

   Mox

(e fortuna per te, Marco :)

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