Re: [Usability] Usability problems with the new fullscreen mode for cheese!

[Felix Kaser <f kaser gmx net>]

Calum Benson schrieb:
> On 3 Sep 2008, at 08:48, Felix Kaser wrote:
>
> > In the first mode (preview) the bar overlays a little bit of the 
> > preview video, but thats not that bad, because its just some 5% of 
> > the image! The problem is the second mode (effects chooser), there 
> > the bar overlays a set of buttons (the last row of effect buttons). 
> > To not bother the user with the bar too much in the effects mode we 
> > set the timeout (when the bar disappears) to 1sec or less, so you see 
> > the bar only if you move the mouse to the bottom of the screen and 
> > remain on the bar! when you move the bar away from the bar it 
> > disappears immediately! The timeout for the bar in the preview mode 
> > is set to 5sec, thats similar to other applications like eog and so on!
> >
> > So after the long story: do you think its better to have 2 different 
> > ways of doing this or its better to have kind of a trade-off and use 
> > one timeout for both modes? That means overlaying the last row of 
> > effects buttons for some 2, 3sec....
>
>
> I think there are probably more issues with this design than just the 
> timeouts (such as the lack of any visual cue that the bar exists at 
> all-- I'm running 2.23.91 and couldn't find it for a good 15-20 
> minutes after I read your email.)
What was the problem? I mean, the first time I do on fullscreen mode is: 
move the mouse to see where the bar is (if I need it)! What does eog or 
totem do to help the user find the bar?
> But those aside, the best people to ask are your users.  If they find 
> that having separate timeouts is more comfortable than a single 
> timeout, then you should take that into consideration when making the 
> decision.  There's no inherent usability reason to use the same 
> timeout in both situations.
>
> I think you also need to consider the accessibility implications of 
> your design, though.  Any GUI that employs a timeout is a potential 
> concern if there's no way to adjust it.  In that sense, having a 
> single timeout would probably make it slightly easier to provide a 
> suitable preference.
>
> Actions that rely on mouseover events are probably an even bigger 
> accessibility issue.  How do I make the bar stay/re-appear on the 
> screen if I'm not using a mouse?
Any solutions for that? Again, how is this solved by other applications? 
I really need help there, because I use the mouse and have no experience 
with other programs not using the mouse! Is there any shortcut which 
other programs use?
> Cheeri,
> Calum.

I think we need some kind of specification, if we don't want to have 10 
different ways to show / hide a fullscreen toolbar! Ok, cheese is a 
little bit special, because it has two different "fullscreens" (effects 
and video preview), but the accessibility issue (no mouse) counts for 
the other applications too....

I'm really really new to gnome development and to bigger software 
development groups in general, so I would love some help, but I'm 
willing to work such a guideline or specification! Sounds like fun 
doesn't it? :D

Thanks Calum for answering :)

cheers
felix