Re: [Bug-gnubg] Things I hate about the GnuBg GUI

[Holger]

On Thu, 28 Aug 2003 10:43:19 +0200, Morten Juul Henriksen wrote:
> 1. The =91Hint=92 window
> Sorting moves by the evaluation type is annoying. Even blunders looks like =
> they=92re among the best moves. Please sort (default) by equity. Maybe use =

This is not practical and would be like comparing apples and pears.
Also remember that the best moves of a lower ply get promoted to
higher-ply analysis, so they were better than the other moves. It can
be however that a higher ply gives quite a big equity change.

> different background colours for the different ply=92s.

Not sure whether GTK+ 1.x supports this.

> 2. Evalution, analysis, hint:
> I think, and I know many agrees, that keeping track of all the different ev=
> aluation settings is more confusing than helpful.

I for my part don't agree with this.

> Is it really neassessary with all the evaluation and rollout types (analysi=
> s, evaluation, hint)? Wouldn=92t it be better just to popup a window (and l=
> et the user chose ply, rollout etc. in addition to a =91last used=92 and th=
> e predefines =91expert=92, =91world class=92 etc.) when evaluation is press=
> ed?

I like not having to click lots of times, especially for a much used
function.

> Notice how smooth the =91new=92 button does the job by popping up a window =
> instead of having several menu entries like =93new match=92, =91new moneyga=
> me session=92 and so on.

For mouse users this might be favourable. I usually start a match or
session with shortcuts.

> Why do you have to chose =91rollout=92 or =91rollout cube decision=92 ? Can=
> =92t GnuBg see if the dice have already been thrown? The same goes for the =
> temp maps.

What if you have a position with the dice already rolled, but want a
cube decision rollout? Imho it's more convenient having two options
instead of being forced to go to a board setup where one of the
rollouts would be (more) appropriate.

> 3. Analysis
> When an analysis is done, why not auto-popup the statistics window? When wo=
> uld you not want to do this (except maybe when running a script)?

You have named already one point where it would interfere horribly.
Also it's perfectly possible to step right through the match and look
at the statistics only later or not at all.

> On the menu =91analyse game=92, =91analyse match=92 should be grouped like =
> =91clear analysis=92 is or, even better, popup a window letting the user ch=
> ose all settings for the analysis.

This would just cause more clicks. The latter would even prevent from
creating shortcuts.

> 4. Edit
> Start gnubg and press =91edit=92 immidately funny (buggy) things happen. Tr=
> y adding and removing checkers for both sides. Editing match and posid also=
>  seems impossible.

Yes, I could only place chequers for player 0. gnubg even crashed
afterwards.

> 5. Rolling the dice, moving checkers
> When you=92re on roll, why do you have to press the relatively small area b=
> etween the points? Shouldn=92t it be enough just to press your side (right)=
>  of the board?

Between which points? Clicking on the right side where the dice would
be causes them to be rolled.

> Left-click: I want to move THIS checker.

With which die?

> Right-click: I want to move at least one checker HERE and two if possible.

Just put a double click on the middle mouse button in your mouse
driver.

> If I want to move 24/13 with a checker, I should only have to right-click t=
> he 13 point (hitting a checker on the way if possible as default).

I like the assignment to higher/lower die better.

Regards,

        Holger