Re: [Usability] "Input Methods" and "Insert Unicode Control Character" in context menus

[Alan Horkan <horkana maths tcd ie>]

On Wed, 3 Aug 2005, Todd Chambery wrote:

> Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2005 08:43:25 -0400
> From: Todd Chambery <todd chambery gmail com>
> To: usability gnome org
> Subject: [Usability] "Input Methods" and "Insert Unicode Control
>     Character" in context menus
>
> Hi all,
>
> I've been using Gnome a while, and the "Input Methods"/"Insert Unicode
> Control Character" options that show up in every text entry context
> menu has always puzzled me.  I've never had a need to use them (they
> are "foreign" to a MS Windows user) and feel that they unnecessarily
> clutter the context menu.

> Is there a way to turn off these context menu options?

Not that I know of, but it may be possible.

I believe they are for complex text input and developers insisted on
having them in an easy to find place, and techincal considerations trumped
usability cocerns.  I was under the impression that improvements to Pango
and the general text handling in Gnome might eventually allow these menu
items to be removed entirely.  Hopefully someone more expert can shed some
light on these and explain it better.

Sincerely

Alan Horkan
http://advogato.org/person/AlanHorkan/