Re: Kupu in Silva and Link Reference Usability

2007/1/30, Reinhard Hess <[email protected]>:
> I pass on here some remarks from one sysadmin of ours in regard to Kupu
> integration in Silva:
>
> - kupu does not show a default index document in the link target
> selection window. While it is possible to go up one level, it remains
> irritating to the editor.

Yes, for an author it's odd that the index doesn't appear in the
lookup window, while it does appear in the contents and publish
screen. This could be easily changed, but then we'd have authors
making lots of links to foldername/index. However, most sites don't
want authors linking to the index. (Personally, I hate seeing it
because it's unnecessary, much like sites that have /view after the
links).

If we did show the index  we could script out '/index' from the link
(since the placement of the link is javascripted). But it could be
that there are sites that *do* want authors linking to the index, and
then we'd have to make this a site preference, hmmm. It would be
preferable that all Silva sites don't want to link to the index.

Are there any users out there whose navigation code depends on an index?

> - Additionally, it is not possible to click on a folder to enter it.
> Currently the folder tree to the left is the only way to navigate into a
> folder, which may be clumsy. One would expect a link into a folder in
> the Select column.

Both the document names and folder names are control labels for the
radio button. The name is much bigger and thus easier to click than
the tiny radio button. But it's a good point. Maybe folder names
should be links, and the only way to select a folder as the linked
object is to use the radio button.

Actually we'd like to save a click. Right now authors have to select
the object to be linked and then click the "place reference" button.
We could automatically place the link as soon as they select it (this
wouldn't change the above idea that folder names are not control
labels but links – I'm just mentioning the usability point).

> - It should btw. append a slash to the target URL when selecting a folder.

Having a slash after a folder is only for Apache. It saves a
transaction, e.g. it's good practice to make all links to your site
(http://www.mysite.com/) end in a slash. On a lower level, ASFAIK,
Zope doesn't care. Everything is an object, and maybe there is a
nested object/argument or maybe not. The slash makes no difference in
performance or transactions.

Having a trailing slash on a folder also messes up anchors. If the
index document has links to anchors within itself at the top, those
links will got to objectname/#anchorname, forcing a reload. Without
the trailing slash they work properly, going to objectname#anchorname
and not causing a reload.

> Do you think, usability could be improved?

There's always room for improvement! Good usability is achieved in
many small steps, often triggered by advice from users. Please pass
this on to your sysadmin for feedback.

Kit

-- 
Kit BLAKE · Infrae · http://infrae.com/ + 31 10 243 7051
Hoevestraat 10 · 3033 GC · Rotterdam + The Netherlands
Contact = http://xri.net/=kitblake
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