Re: Review of Keybindings [Re: Dia's user interface]

[James K.Lowden <jklowden speakeasy org>]

On Thu, 25 Apr 2002 15:27:51 +0000 "rob.campbell@att.net"
<rob.campbell@att.net> wrote:> > Using Glade, I mocked up a
> > new preferences dialog
> 
> Could you post a screen shot, for those of us without Glade?

But of course.  See http://www.SchemaMania.org/dia/noodle/ for a .PNG and
.JPEG.  Please ignore the little black squares in the corners; they're
from Glade, showing what I've selected.  

> > "Reverse dragging selects intersecting objects"  Huh?
> 
> This is a pretty common and useful features in CAD
> programs.  "Reverse drag" means drawing the selection
> rectangle from right to left, rather than left to right
> (maybe "Reverse drag" is too Euro-centric).  It selects
> objects fully and partially within the rectangle, not
> just  fully within as when dragging from left to right. 

Ah.  That is a nice feature. 

The articles referenced earlier in this thread make a convincing argument
that too many choices is too many choices, that the UI designer -- indeed
the designers -- should exercise care and judgement in the user's favor. 
I think this particular item is just the sort of thing they mean.  Someone
with CAD experience cared enough to add the feature.  Let's let everyone
benefit from his knowledge and contribution, and not make them learn about
a helpful feature they might want to turn off.  

The feature is discoverable, useful, and unintrusive.  Let's turn it on
and leave it there.  

Regards, 
--jkl