Re: [Usability] GtkNotebook scrolling

[Soeren Sandmann <sandmann daimi au dk>]

jcupitt gmail com writes:

> On 12 March 2010 10:35, Allan Day <allanpday gmail com> wrote:
> > Though most widgets cannot be controlled through the mouse wheel, a
> > small number can (combo boxes, volume sliders and the window list, for
> > example), so it's not completely inconsistent to have this behaviour for
> > tabs.
> 
> If I can put in another opinion, I'd like the mousewheel behaviour
> removed for these widgets too.

Agreed, but what would really make sense is to write down simple rules
for what happens in response to various input types. For example:

- The mouse wheel scrolls if the widget is scrollable, otherwise it
  does nothing. [Violators include combo boxes, volume sliders, the
  window list, notebooks, the workspace switcher

- Right mouse down shows a context menu if one is available, otherwise
  it does nothing. Violators: scrollbars, menus (though that may be a
  justifiable exception).

- Pressing an arrow key moves the cursor if the widget with keyboard
  focus has a cursor. Otherwise it does nothing (in particular, it
  doesn't move keyboard focus). (Violators: basically all widgets).

and so on. The idea is that you if you remember those rules, you will
be able to much better predict what happens if you do something, and
there will be no dangerous or annoying surprises when you roll the
scroll wheel.

It might make sense to reserve a modifier key for weird, geeky stuff
so that if you hold down say the Windows key, then something wacky may
happen (you can switch tabs with scrolling, windows can be moved etc.)


Soren