Re: capplets: 1.2->2.0: HOWTO wanted

[Allin Cottrell <cottrell wfu edu>]

On 1 Nov 2002, Glynn Foster wrote:

> In GNOME 2.0, we now just have preference dialogs - they aren't
> integrated into a control-center shell anymore....

Yes.  Am I the only one who thinks this is a retrograde step?  The 
gnome 1.4 control center had some flaws, but I don't care for the 
salami tactics of dispersing configuration options to isolated 
dialogs.

Here's my main reason.  Even in a well designed GUI there's bound to
be some uncertainty over exactly how various options should be
classified and grouped.  And there's sure to be uncertainty in most
users' minds over where they will find the configuration option
they're looking to change, for a fairly substantial subset of options
(some may be obvious).  If the config options are displayed together
in some sort of shell it's easier to explore the option space -- "Is
what I'm looking for in here?  No.  OK, is it in here?". If the
options are dispersed among independent dialogs, reached via separate
links that lie 3 to 5 menu-layers deep relative to the "gnome foot",
this can become difficult and confusing.  Is what I want under
Foot/Applications/Desktop Preferences/Advanced/Sawfish/Worspaces?  If
not I have to renegotiate the whole tree; I can't just back up a level
or try the next item at the same level directly.  

This, IMO, is better organized via some sort of tree or table that can
be viewed in parallel.

Allin Cottrell.