Forwarding Hylke's response to my original post: -------- Forwarded Message -------- From: Hylke Bons <hylkeb...@gmail.com> To: allanp...@gmail.com Subject: Re: [Fwd: Re: [Usability] Zoom Controls] Date: Wed, 21 Apr 2010 15:17:20 +0100
> * To me, the feedback provided by sliders or percentage indicators (like > those shown in Nautilus and EoG's statusbar) doesn't seem particularly > useful. Generally, a user doesn't need to know if they are zoomed at > 150% or if they have zoomed through half of the magnification range. I agree about the relative to the zoom end part, but the % indication is very useful to me as an icon designer. I think there are also a lot of use cases where they can be handy to people taking pictures. Removing it probably won't affect a huge group, but leaving it in doesn't either. > * Sliders can be fiddly and difficult to use. This is partly because > such sliders are typically horizontal and partly because their effects > can be a bit wild and disorientating. Zoom ranges tend to be large, > sliders short. Completely agree. > * The icons used for zooming are a bit problematic. Each of them > features a magnifying glass containing either a + or a - or a 1 or a > kind of box (for best fit). Though the magnifying glass does a good job > in saying 'these are zoom controls', it introduces unnecessary > repetition when you have two or three zoom icons next to each other. > There's too much noise and the magnifying glass reduces the presence of > the + or - or whatever. We fixed this in 2.30. We don't have the loupes anymore as zoom icons. instead we just use squares with marks in them. Like [+], [-], [1]. > * Best fit and normal zoom buttons should give feedback - they should > appear depressed when zoom is at their level. Agreed. > * The relationship between normal zoom and 1:1 zoom seems a bit fuzzy. > In EoG, 1:1 is described as 'Normal Size'. Nautilus also has 'Normal > Size', but it is something quite different. The icon for normal size is > called 'zoom-original' but would seem to convey the notion of 1:1, > rather than the notion of 'Normal Size' used by Nautilus. 'Normal size' seems best to me. I think 'Normal Zoom' only works in English. > * Apps should use a standard set (and arrangement) of buttons. I think it differs a lot per app. We should assess each app and see what is needed. > * Avoid the idea/word 'Normal', since this could be confusing (different > people will have different ideas of what normal is). Instead, use Best > Fit and some notion of 1:1 when it is needed (maybe '1:1 Zoom'?). > Typically, Best Fit will be the default view. 'Best Fit' seems the best translatable. Hylke _______________________________________________ usability mailing list usability@gnome.org http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/usability
