[Usability] Re: The importance of good mouse acceleration

["Jonathan Vaughan" <vaughan xandmail com>]

> Have you talked to the X maintainers yourself?

I'm relatively new to Linux, so am not quite at the stage where I can go
digging in the XFree86 mouse code and try and hack out something that works a
bit better. However, I am very happy to get in touch with various groups of
people and try to raise awareness of the problem. Once enough people are
convinced that the current system needs improving, there's a good chance of
getting a solution implemented.

[My hope is that the XFree86/X.org shenanigans will make it easier to improve
X in the area of mouse acceleration, but I'm waiting to see how it all shakes
out.]

Having played with the current exponential acceleration offered by X, it is
clear that the lack of an easily configurable constant multiplier is a
significant drawback. This needs to be overcome before we can expect people to
use this algorithm by default. (Changing the Resolution may have the intended
effect but it's a bit of a dirty hack.)

> What's needed is a good interface at the desktop level that uses this
> polynomial acceleration algorithm...

I agree. And I have to say (don't flame me for this), the current scheme used
by Windows would be a good model to use:

- A slider labelled "Pointer speed" (10 gradations between "Slow" and "Fast")
sets the constant multiplier
- Clicking on a button labelled "Acceleration" brings up a new dialog
- There is a check box for turning acceleration on/off (labelled "Pointer
acceleration"
- If acceleration is turned on, the user can choose between "Low", "Medium",
and "High" acceleration, which correspond to 3 graded acceleration curves

This scheme is highly intuitive, in stark contrast to the Speed/Threshold one
that we have at the moment (this is no criticism of GNOME; no amount of nice
UI can cover up a badly-designed algorithm). In fact, I would suggest the
following simple Usability Test for any replacement acceleration algorithm and UI:

1. Take someone who has been using Windows/Mac every day for at least two
years, and who is happy with their mouse acceleration.

2. Sit them in front of a default GNOME session and ask them to set up the
mouse acceleration so that it feels right for them.

[Note: The user is not told where to find the acceleration configuration]

Until we get an algorithm and UI which passes this test, how can we expect
long-term Windows/Mac users to migrate to Linux? It's like asking someone to
exchange their car for one whose steering feels all strange :) This should be
of concern not just to GNOME, but anyone who wants to see Linux as a valid
contender on the desktop.

Please let me know if you feel the same way about this and/or would like to
get involved in improving the mouse acceleration in X.

Many thanks,

Jonathan Vaughan