Srihari Sriraman wrote: > Have we had a chance to look into this? > > On Sat, Nov 30, 2013 at 11:06 AM, Jehan Pagès <jehan.marmottard@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: > Hello Peter, > > Some time ago, a contributor developed a very interesting feature, > allowing to search actions with natural language keywords > (https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=708174). > > I have also written an exhaustive specification draft of the current > implementation: > http://wiki.gimp.org/index.php/Specs:Action_Search_Dialog > > This specification details the search algorithm, and the GUI interaction. OK, I have looked at that spec. then I thought about it for hours, and here is why: this thing is still giving me a serious stomach ache (I hope you guys realise that when something that is 100% UI gives me a stomach ache, that is quite significant) even trying to explain to you (and me) why this gives me a stomach ache, gives me a stomach ache. I could talk long or short about all its aspects, but I have decided to cut it short and tell you this about it: when I read the spec or think about TITo, this comes to my mind, second by second: ‘that is OKish, give these guys a break’ ‘that is awful, completely misguided’ ‘that is OKish, give these guys a break’ ‘that is awful, completely misguided’ ‘that is OKish, give these guys a break’ ‘that is awful, completely misguided’ ‘that is OKish, give these guys a break’ ‘that is awful, completely misguided’ so after hours of thinking I have come to this conclusion: the problem with TITo is that as it stands now it is a conflicted mix of two intentions: 1) a help system via text search to learn using GIMP 2) a command-line system for operating GIMP some note: - yes, for me 1) maps to ‘give these guys a break’ and 2) to ‘completely misguided’ sort term _and_ long term; - if you are serious about “Text-based Intent driven Tool” then you have to build a synonym list for all keywords, in all localisations; else you are just bluffing; - with different people working on it, I suspect they have different intentions, or are conflicted internally themselves; - since TITo is right now a random mix of 1) and 2), it is really not working for either intentions; things implemented for 1) get in the way of 2) (and vice versa); when I had me face-to-face meeting with Mitch to patch things up we did talk about TITo (that’s how big an issue it is...). I said: when a version of GIMP comes out with TITo in it and the press writes about it: “GIMP now has a command-line system for operate it” then we have a all lost, big time, because a million users then expect that this will actually make sense (and btw: I lose the most, because this is a pure UI matter) when the press writes: “GIMP now has a help system via text search to learn” then we have a chance that this will be useful for a good chunk of our users, some of the time. all this is not about what we tell the press for that release, this is about what TITo _is_, what it is designed to be. being a conflicted mix of two intentions is certainly not going to help TITo in any way. some more things that are very important: - even if TITo response time is instant, keyword formulation -> typing in a text based interface is not exactly fast; please drop the ‘its fast’ argument; - I read in the bug report that peple are contemplating changing labels of menu items to help TITo to perform better; that is the most dangerous thing I have heard in a long while; - if anyone is serious about solving how to help serious GIMP users with faster use of plugins and other sprawling stuff, let me know; it can be designed... --ps founder + principal interaction architect man + machine interface works http://blog.mmiworks.net: on interaction architecture _______________________________________________ gimp-developer-list mailing list List address: gimp-developer-list@xxxxxxxxx List membership: https://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/gimp-developer-list List archives: https://mail.gnome.org/archives/gimp-developer-list
