maemo.org - Talk - Suggestions for User Interface Improvements

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- OS2008 / Maemo 4 / Chinook - Diablo (https://talk.maemo.org/forumdisplay.php?f=29)

- - Suggestions for User Interface Improvements (https://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=14629)

Re: Suggestions for User Interface Improvements

Quote:

Originally Posted by spidy (Post 123016)

The Home Screen:
This needs to be redone. I would much prefer to see a modular space like igoogle.com implementation. Each module is defined in usable areas and layout options can be selected for each applet. ie full module or collapsed
Maybe even a tab structure that can be filled with application shortcuts or mini versions of the apps.

NO, NO, NO. There needs to be a way to lock things in place, but I like being able to put applets wherever I want on the screen. And tabs? Yuck.

Quote:

Screen Off Feature:
There needs to be an easy way to turn the screen off and locking it but not turning off the device. I would follow the iPhone usability for this feature, where the power button turns the screen off and when you hold it down you turn the device off.

On the N800, this is a short press of the power button followed by a press of the select button (middle of the directional pad). To take it out of this mode is the same button combo. I know some are experiencing a bug in OS2008 where this doesn't work, but it does for me (and always worked in OS2007).

Quote:

Finger Vs. Stylus:
The finger usability should not compromise the stylus input. This can be address by using input size comparison. If you are using the stylus the input size and pressure is concentrated in a smaller area and if you are using a finger the input are is much larger and should enable a response system for finger use.

Well, OS2007 had that and frankly, it didn't work well. Hitting the menu icon with my thumb almost always brought up the tiny stylus menu that was too small to use with my thumb. Same with text fields and the keyboard. In truth, this is something even the iPhone doesn't do. The iPhone says to you, "Use your finger, no stylus." I agree this would be nice, but apparently being able to tell the difference between stylus and finger is more complicated than we imagine, and Nokia (and Microsoft and maybe Apple) is apparently still working on it.

Re: Suggestions for User Interface Improvements

Ok, I have the comprehensive solution for the applet location issue.

1. locking/unlocking needs to be restored. I recommend that a Press-and-Hold click mode be added to applets that brings up a customary "right click" context menu with lock/unlock functions. Of course, press-and-hold needs to be distinguished from short clicks just as it is for other purposes. This should solve the accidental jostling of applets on tablet awakening.

2. As for positioning, the solution is simple: take a page from Adobe Illustrator and provide grids and guidelines. Specifically, once a user begins dragging an applet around the screen, a temporary grid appears against the background image. Display-spanning guidelines appear on key applet edges when they are aligned with other applets, for snapping into place. Taken further, the grid and related settings could even be configurable via the desktop menu.

feedback?

EDIT: bug located at https://bugs.maemo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=2639

Re: Suggestions for User Interface Improvements

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texrat (Post 123613)

2. As for positioning, the solution is simple: take a page from Adobe Illustrator and provide grids and guidelines. Specifically, once a user begins dragging an applet around the screen, a temporary grid appears against the background image. Display-spanning guidelines appear on key applet edges when they are aligned with other applets, for snapping into place. Taken further, the grid and related settings could even be configurable via the desktop menu.

feedback?

Sounds good - it would be nice if applet-coders would be forced to use sizes corresponding with that grid as well, it bothers me that the minimal sizes of stuff in a column often differ by a few pixels. Makes it look messy.

Re: Suggestions for User Interface Improvements

Quote:

Originally Posted by chlettn (Post 123627)

hey, if the applet graphics were VECTOR-based, then they could be made easily scalable with no distortion...

Re: Suggestions for User Interface Improvements

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karel Jansens (Post 123386)

Yes.

http://www.internettablettalk.com/fo...3&postcount=20

Wow, thank you, I have asked this a few times in other posts. BTW, I happen to have "Linux in a Nutshell", a good book. I used to refer to it all the time when creating swap files and editing the fstab in the old days.

Re: Suggestions for User Interface Improvements

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texrat (Post 123239)

Weird. Soft power-off still works for me with 50-2. This inconsistent bug situation is very mystifying! And frustrating. All I've seen so far are 2 random crashes... none of the things others are reporting.

Sure you don't have some magical internal release? It was fixed (according to bug #2400, but the hotfix hasn't made it to a public release.

Re: Suggestions for User Interface Improvements

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeneralAntilles (Post 123795)

Sure you don't have some magical internal release? It was fixed (according to bug #2400, but the hotfix hasn't made it to a public release.

LIke I said, I had a brainfart and was thinking offline mode. Sorry! :o

Re: Suggestions for User Interface Improvements

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texrat (Post 123613)

Hi, Texrat -

I'd suggest a tweak to your #1 - put the context menu on unoccupied areas of the desktop. This is familiar W!#&@ws behavior (for us low-class consumer users). That will leave each applet free to have its own context menu if desired. It should also be on the pulldown menu.

#2 - Grid lines might be a bit rich. How about a simple "snap to grid" option next to lock/unlock (again, a la W!#&@ws)?

Re: Suggestions for User Interface Improvements

Quote:

Originally Posted by aflegg (Post 123205)

Concrete suggestions should be raised in bugs.maemo.org, not here.

Not to fault you, AFlegg, but a bug tracking system is the worst possible way to create and document a cohesive interface design. (alright, that may be a little hyperbolic, so TexRat don't feel the need to jump in, I'm aware of it :p )

The design needs to happen up front (hopefully with good user research to inform the design), not as an afterthought.

I have been looking into ways that I can contribute to Maemo and the ITT community, but sending my UI recommendations into a bug tracking system is not one that I am willing to accept.

Re: Suggestions for User Interface Improvements

Peronsally, I'd like to see some liberal (and user controlled) use of alpha blends and transistions when inside of applications and going from screen to screen.

I'd like to see the browser adapt a "view entire page" mode that gives a zoomed out version of the page similar to Opera Mini/Nokia Web.

A toggable stylus/finger UI control that would effect *everything.* This should be an API that's usable across all applications.

Some adaptation of "page flow" in apps such as the photo gallery (when going from picutre to picture) or in the music player ("when scrolling from artist to artist in the playlist) - things are just too abrupt system wide.