Preferences dialog suggestions

Chris Lyttle chris@wilddev.net
19 Oct 2002 21:49:18 -0700


On Sat, 2002-10-19 at 18:34, Conrad Canterford wrote:

> - Preferences *should* be easily understood, and *should* default to the
> functionality that the majority of users are going to want. The majority
> of users should never need to touch the preferences.
> 
> However, I don't think this justifies removing (or not adding) an option
> just because what it does is obscure and only likely to be used by a
> tiny percentage of the gnucash users  That option should be put

I think these two statements are contradictory, I'll explain more below.

> > I dont fundamentally agree that having every option
> > you can think of is giving users choice or flexibility though. At best
> > most users just want to get on with using an app and having to wade
> > through a whole bunch of prefs in order to do that really doesn't help
> > that goal.
> 
> But here is my point - if the default value for the preference is set
> properly, most users *won't* need to change it, whether its there or
> not. The default behaviour should always be the one that satisfies most
> users. However, if a couple of users suggest an option that is
> relatively easy to implement, this suggests to me that we are not
> providing those people with quite the application they want and that an
> option is therefore appropriate. It is then our job to add that option
> in such a way that those people can find it without confusing people
> looking for other things. And once we add the option, other people will
> look at it and say "Oh, we can do that... COOL!".
> 
> > I refer again to my above argument, using a preference for
> > something, the same as when you are actually designing an app, should be
> > looked at as a tradeoff. Starting out with the principle that you ask
> > 'can I design this better so I dont need a preference for this' and then
> > only implementing a preference if its really useful is a far better
> > design choice than 'oh if you can't do this we'll just make a preference
> > to turn it on'. I understand that you think I'm on the opposite side of
> > this issue to you, but really that isn't the case.
> 
> I really do disagree with this... (sorry). Preferences are not
> trade-offs. They are ways of offering users an ability to customise the
> behaviour of the application to suit their individual needs and tastes.
> That is what the name "preferences" means, surely?
> We cannot write an application that is perfect and suits every single
> person without having to set a single preference. People vary too much 
> Some people like their application to warn them when they're being
> stupid, others just want the computer to do what its told and hang the
> consequeces. Some people like to control the amount of information
> presented to them, other people want everything presented to them so
> they can choose what to look at. What gives us the right to say which
> lot of people are "right"? Our job is to provide both groups with the
> best application we can, and that means being able to customise the
> application to suit their desires.
> 
Basically, and this relates back to why I think you're contradicting
yourself earlier, I think people, on average, wont touch preferences.
The reason I think this is because its too hard to find what they are
looking for. People will use preferences for things they really care
about but they won't/can't if there is too much garbage.

I think we're going to have to just agree to disagree here. I'm firmly
of the opinion that a minimal design approach that is simple and easy to
use is best. I realise GnuCash as it is today is far and away from this,
I live with that because I hope I can influence some of the people
associated with making the program to think more about making GnuCash's
design with usability principles at the forefront. My suggestion to you
is to read some books such as 'The Humane Interface' by Jef Raskin (he
designed the mac interface) and try to have an open mind in this area.

Chris
-- 
RedHat Certified Engineer #807302549405490.
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