On Fri, Jan 22, 1999 at 01:33:18PM -0500, Amir Karger wrote:
> I agree that the somewhat limited textclass selection (at least compared to
> what can be done) and example/template selection will make LyX 1.0
> frustrating to use for some users. (But any college student who wants to
> write letters and class papers shouldn't have much trouble.)
Two practical suggestions for 1.0, with new users in mind.
(i) We ought to at least offer new users a "template" for a standard
blank page which takes the liberty of setting margins of:
1in/1in/1in/1in -- top/bottom/left/right.
I remember first using LyX (before Edit->Paper even existed) and needing a
*manual* to set these margins. Ouch.
(ii) One of the very first questions new users ask is: how can I indent
a paragraph? This is another feature that shouldn't require a
manual. The current LyX interface is confusing and should be changed.
This feature is buried in Edit->Paragraph->ExtOpt.
Minipage absolutely belongs where it is. But we've mixed Indentation
with Minipage. In fact, if you click "Indentated Paragraph", then
you specify the indentation value in the "Width" field, which makes
no sense. Width of Minipage -- that makes sense. "Width" of
indentation? No one will guess that.
We've given vertical spacing elements more prominence than indentation
--- on the primary page, not the ExtOpt page.
I suggest we put "indented paragraph" check box on the first
Edit->Paragraph page, and include an "indent by ___" input box.
There *is* an Indent item, with a "No Indent" check box. Kind of
reminds me of M$'s "Start->Shutdown". In fact, this is a "don't
indent *first line* feature", and should be labeled thus.
Summary:
When you think about two finger typists using M$ Word, it's fair
to say they use standard margins and occasionally indent paragraphs,
usually with tabs. We ought to make LyX accessible to these users,
and I believe that the above two additions will.
I suppose I could suggest that we wire the "tab" key to turn on
paragraph indentation, and add a default 1in length for each time
you hit "tab". This would be highly functional and consistent with
our current interface. (With shift-tab to reverse the process).
But I acknowledge it encourages bad habits and runs against the
grain. So this suggestion is mentioned but not seriously proposed.
Best regards
--
Larry S. Marso
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
