Re: [Usability]Attempt at constructive criticism - "Why Gnome 2 sucks for me"

[Mikael Hallendal <micke codefactory se>]

tis 2002-08-27 klockan 12.28 skrev Aleksander Adamowski:
>   I've recently engaged in upgrading my Mandrake 8.2 to 9.0 betas and so 
> I've had the opportunity to test Gnome 2.0
> 
> I've been a regular Gnome user around version 1.2, but since KDE became 
> free (as in speech) with GPLization of QT library, and I've got a new, 
> better machine, I've switched to KDE.
> 
> Since them, I've been trying out new versions of Gnome (1.4 and now 2.0) 
> but all of them led me to disappointment.
> 
> I'll describe the main causes of that disappointment with Gnome 2.0 here 
> in the hope that pointing out those flaws will help the Gnome usability 
> project and maybe some day I'll see a Gnome release that I can actually 
> use (2.0 got me irritated, then frustrated, then fed up with it in just 
> an hour):
> 
> 
> * Gnome help browser _still_ hasn't got any built-in search facility 
> (neither "search for text in current page" nor "search for text in all 
> help pages")

Both these features are planned for the help browser in GNOME 2.2, not
sure if I'll have time to add full text searching in all pages but I'll
try. Searching within a document is pretty much finished but needs some
more love (still on Richard Hults machine).

> * Gnome 2 has that silly panel at the top - and I couldn't find ANY way 
> to move it to the bottom of the screen! Nor enter its preferences! Nor 
> hide it! Nor turn it into ordinary panel with hiding buttons! This panel 
> is forced down the user's throat. And if there is any way to turn it off 
> - I couldn't find it (if it exists, then it needs to be intuitive, or at 
> least documented in the help system, a _searchable_ help system).

I *think* that the menu panel is the default if you build from source.
Otherwise it's up to the distributor (in this case Mandrake) if they
want to ship with it. I know Red Hat doesn't use the menu panel as 
default in there beta's for next major release.

Though, I agree that it's a pity that it's not a panel like every else.

Regards,
  Mikael Hallendal

-- 
Mikael Hallendal                micke codefactory se
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