Re: [Pan-users] Toolbar Second Draft, Feedback Wanted

[Wolf J . Flywheel]

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On Tuesday 25 June 2002 17:12, you wrote:

> Okay, here's a second draft of the toolbar:
>
>               http://pan.rebelbase.com/toolbar.png

        One thing I noticed here is that the "flag" is hard to discern; I 
couldn't even tell what it was supposed to be at first.  I'd suggest 
either changing its color, or shape, or both.  If you made it look 
like, say, the flag that marks a hole on a golf course, and upright 
instead of diagonal, that might help.  Anyone else have trouble seeing 
it?

> Problems I'd like second opinions on:
>
>   * The "get new headers in selected groups" and "get bodies for
>     selected articles" icons are unclear.  What would be better?

        I agree they're unclear, but I can't think of anything quickly.
Do we even *need* icons for these?  To get new headers in selected 
groups, I select several groups, right-click, and choose "get new 
headers"; that seems the most intuitive to me.  The same for getting 
bodies/attachments for selected articles -- if I'm selecting a bunch of 
articles, I'm already clicking around in the header pane, so a 
right-click and another click is the most economical action there. 
Since my hand is already on the trackball, I don't even use a hotkey 
there.
        Maybe you could have *one* icon that gets headers, period.  If groups 
are selected, it only works on those groups; if none are selected, it 
gets headers for all subscribed.  "Get new headers in all subscribed" 
could be left in a menu.  You could do the same for getting bodies -- 
selection means, "act on selected", else act on all articles (maybe 
with a popup confirmation, in case I didn't *really* want to download 
67,000 articles but somehow unselected them all).

>   * If "forward via email" and "reply via email" are added, how
>     can we distinguish between Usenet and email?  (icons or
> screenshots from other programs are welcomed, since I'm not much of
> an artist. :)

        Quick summary of my suggestion in another thread:  Put a small blue 
"e" to mean "Reply by e-mail"; leave normal post/followup icons alone.

>   * Balsa/Evolution's grey-green "receive" down arrow has been added
> for Gnome consistency; most people didn't recognize Agent's lightning
> bolt.

        This looks very clean and seems easy to understand.

>   * Evolution was also the source for the new online/offline icons,
>     which now shows whether or not you're connected.

        I'm cool with that; the "plugged/unplugged" icon is also used in 
Netscape and several other programs, so many people will recognize it 
instantly.  (Gee, does it date back to Mosaic, maybe?  Anyway, it's 
very intuitive.)

>   * Some felt that a book is a poor metaphor for newsgroups.  KNode
> uses a newspaper, which is probably a better fit, so I'm trying that
> too.

        I'm ambivalent on this point... I like the books, but I won't lose any 
sleep if they turn into newspapers next upgrade.  :)

>   * The magnifying glass is too closely identified with "search", so
>     "read" is now a lighter green arrow pointing right.

        That works... one thing that bugs me, visually, about the row of 
"read" icons is that they look like they are mis-aligned (though I know 
that's false).  I'd say, either move the first one up a little bit so 
that they *do* line up, or increase the size differential between the 
first one and the next three, so it's more obvious they are not 
supposed to be aligned.

>   * The green puzzle piece for "complete attachments" has been
> replaced with the standard attachment icon, a paperclip.  New users
> should understand the new icon easier ... which is a shame, 'cause
> that puzzle piece has grown on me. :)

        Ack, noooo!!!  I think the green/red puzzle pieces are *much* easier 
to see than little curlicues of paperclips, and green joined pieces vs. 
red single pieces was quite clear the first time I saw it.  (Green is 
good, red is bad!)  Even if a paperclip is somehow "standard", I do not 
think it's as easy for the eye to pick out instantly, and as another 
person pointed out that's the reason we *have* icons anyway.

        Well, that's my input this time around... wear it in good health!  ;)

- -- 
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