Re: [libreoffice-design] LO Writer UI Analysis

Hi Thibaut, Heiko

On 29 January 2013 23:04, Thibaut Brandscheid <randaltor@web.de> wrote:
> Hi Astron
>
> Thanks for your detailed answer. I can't promise to do the data analysis in
> the wiki but will have a look at it.

Thanks! I have uploaded the file to

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/87946285/libreoffice/OOo31_Usage_Feedback_Data.ods

(To my defense, I actually did upload it yesterday.)


> LO is a huge project and I assume that
> it's sometimes complicated to reach consensus on UI changes. People like
> what they already know... an old problem for all lateral thinkers.

Well, reaching (complete) consensus is not actually necessary –
finding a developer and getting some sort of lazy consensus is enough.
The problem, for the most part lies in the former.


> I focus on Writer UI stuff here, but I have many other points on how LO
> could be improved. The longer I think about it - the more I will find. The
> problem is time and to channelize it in a way it is potentially useful to
> you.

Since Mirek already linked you to some – have a look at our
whiteboards and see if you think that process works for you.


> Most of the time, I open Writer to write stuff, so highlighting spelling
> errors makes sense. When I'm done with writing, there is no need to recheck
> the whole text - it's already done. Second argument, browser has only an
> auto-spell-checker tool, too.

Ah, ok. So you do in fact want some sort of reading mode?


> If I open a file in another language to read it I sometimes deactivate the
> auto-spell-checking to get rid of the red underlines below every word in the
> text.
> Btw. auto language recognition would be suuuuuuch a great feature.

Not completely sure, but I think we already have some piece of code
that tries to make educated guesses to fill the context menu. Anyway,
I agree.


> ... that are all more power user use-cases.

Right, but everyone can cater to basic users – and it seems we are
already losing this fight against the likes of Google Docs, not to
mention Office 365. So, supporting power users is one way to stay
relevant, I guess.


> The 'Styles and Formatting'
> button kind of duplicates and enhances the drop-down-menu next to it. I
> guess that an average user will be completely happy with only the
> 'ApplyStyle' drop-down-menu and will not even notice the removal of the
> 'Styles and Formatting' button.

Probably true.


> > > 1g - Remove the button labeled 'Default' in the lower left corner. Its
> > > label is unclear and the button adds no value to the UI (remember
> > > average
> > > user point of view).
> >
> > This is a quick style switcher. Arguably, either this combo box or the
> > style button should probably go in the longer run.
>
> The button is confusing, why do I have to double click it, whereas a single
> click opens the language menu next to it? Having a quick way to access the
> page settings is nice but it is too hidden, so "nearly" nobody will notice.

First of all, sorry I misunderstood you: I thought you were speaking
of the style combobox in the Formatting toolbar instead of something
in the status bar.

Also, yes, I agree that it should better go elsewhere where it seems
closer/more related to the page.


> > > 1i - Remove the small paper icons left from the zoom panel. I don't get
> > > what it is useful for after trying them several times and guess that
> > > normal
> > > users would struggle here too.
> >
> > These can be quite useful. They are for enabling book and multiple
> > pages mode – I assume you tried them with a single page in the window?
>
> Two pages with a page break in between.
> > We could improve the feedback here, I guess, e.g. by showing one or
> > multiple "ghost pages" when enabling book/multiple pages mode.
>
> I tried it now with a longer document and it still doesn't make much sense
> to me ^^
> When using the multiple-page-mode you have to use massively the scroll bars
> - feels broken.

You mean the book mode, I assume (first page on the right)? Guess it's
hard to make it look like a book layout without showing the two pages
next to each other. :)
The multi-page mode otoh adapts to the size of the screen.

In any case, I just noticed, these buttons lack any sort of tooltip –
definitely a bug.


> > > 1k - Move the 'Align Right' and 'Justified' text formatting button into
[...]
> On a small screen, they get cut off right now - that's a massive UX problem
> because one of the Writers main functions gets hidden too easily.

Agree, that's quite a problem.


> You could pay someone to get the "boring" stuff done - using donation money.
> When donating money, it's nice to know that it helps LO, but you don't see
> really what is done with it - LO works as it has in the past.

The donation money is currently mostly used to pay for web
servers/hosting, to bring people together through hackfests/the annual
conference, the foundation etc. Using it to pay otherwise volunteer
contributors could be a bad idea, because it can be detrimental to the
community at large. (Why is this person paid, but not I?, Why should I
contribute again if I don't get money for it again?, etc.) Not saying
it always is.


> Maybe you have too many icons :)

Sure, I do, I'm using the default settings...


> I just took a look at the Google docs tool bar and damn it, it looks good
> and clean:
> http://ubuntuone.com/5a3NbVMN5a1MUUZAdjYB7o
>
> They have a maximum of three layers of click-able items, mostly two (the
> text formatting tool bar and the ruler).

Also, they have two horizontal lines and three grey background shades. :)


> Is there any chance to see a clean-up of the current UI in the near future?

There is always something small that changes and it would seem easy to
e.g. remove a few toolbar items, especially because all you have to do
is edit a few XML files. It's unlikely though, that you will ever see
big-bang changes, simply because neither the regular and short release
cycle nor the diverse community are really a good fit for that model.


Astron.

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