Sven asked for some feedback on the Preferences dialog. Here is my take
on it. I'm sure I can handle many of the changes, but I haven't looked
into the code yet. If you need me to make the changes (once they're
approved) let me know. I won't be able to submit much before the 21st
cuz I'll be on holiday, however, and assuming I haven't found another
job by then.
Comments on the Preferences dialog:
0. General comments
a. Why is the default font for labels so small? My eyes are old!
b. Lists should not include sublists that have only a single
item. If you have sublists, there should be at least two
entries in that list. Otherwise, merge the sublist into the
main list page.
c. I really think you need to call the "Image Window" the "Canvas
Window". "Image" is too generic - it's used for
thumbnails, layers, etc.
d. US English vs UK English spellings: "Behavior" in
Interface page, "Behaviour" in Image Windows page.
e. Lots of tooltips say "When set to YES..." when referring to
toggle buttons or option menus that don't have a "YES"
option. These need to be updated.
1. Page: New Image
a. Should it be "New Image" or "New Canvas"? Is the canonical
name for that window a Canvas? That's what I've been calling it
for years (even in my books), but maybe I've been wrong.
b. Why isn't "Indexed" included as a default image type option?
c. Why a "dpi" *AND* a Pixels/inch setting? The bottom set,
with the "Pixels/inch" options menu should be enough. "DPI"
should be part of the text header for this frame.
d. Why do we have a "maximum image size?" Shouldn't GIMP
handle any image size? Should this value be set as a
percentage (rounded to a power of 2) of installed memory?
2. The Comment page should be integrated into the New Image page
as a 2nd page in a notebook.
3. Page: Interface
a. We shouldn't use frames with a single element - frames
should enclose two or more elements. Dialog behavior and Menus
should be merged with the Window Positions frame and retitled
"Windows and Menus"
b. Dialog Behavior toggle has tooltip that says "When set to
YES...". This should be changed to "When enabled...". Also,
"per display" should be changed to "per image window" (or "per
canvas window").
4. Page: Help System
a. Remove frames.
b. Why aren't Mozilla and Galeon included in the Help Browser list?
5. Tool options should be merged with another page, perhaps the
Interface page, until more default options for Tools are provided.
6. Despite having few configurable options, the Input Devices
page should stay the way it is. It may have more options - I
don't have any input devices available to test that.
7. Page: Image Windows
a. Make this page a notebook, with the following pages:
1. Appearance / Canvas padding color
2. Zoom / Resize, Pointer Movement
b. Merge Title & Status page as a 3rd notebook page in the
Image Windows page.
c. Title formats should be explained - what do each of "f", "p",
etc. mean?
8. Merge the Display and Monitor pages. They're similar enough
and can fit on one page.
9. Page: Environment
a. Move Environment to the top of the list. It is more
general than the other options (except the Folders) and it has
no sublist. It's easier to see that it's a top level item
this way as opposed to thinking it's part of the Interface
sublists.
b. Maybe it's me, but I think the icon for Environment ought
to be trees and a sun, not a nerdy IC.
c. The tooltip for "File->Save" is incorrect. It should be
updated to match the current options menu text.
d. "Size of thumbnails Files" should probably be
"Size of thunbnail Files".
10. Page: Folders
a. What do the green dots in the "Folders" page represent?
b. Put the "tenp dir" and "swap dir" in frames. Title each
"Location for temporary files" and "Location of swap
files". Change the "..." to "Select a directory". This will
spread this page's contents out a bit. It looks crowded
right now.
--
Michael J. Hammel |
The Graphics Muse | Assassins do it from behind.
mjhammel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx |
http://www.graphics-muse.com
