[Bf-funboard] With respect to interface simplicity

[Ton Roosendaal]

Hi,

Thanks you liked the efforts we put in Blender UI in the past sofar. :)
It's what makes Blender special, and this is not going to be sacrificed  
for the "easy to learn" theorem.
Nevertheless, there's a lot we can improve still.


> 2. Even-handed operation (one on trackball, one on keyboard).
> There are still a few unassigned keys on the keyboard. The core
> features, properly, got first call on the "simple" [one press] key
> functions. Before taking up the remaining ones for new features,  
> thought
> should be given to how often the function will be used.
>
> I'd also like to see one or two keys explicitly declared off limits
> ("reserved for user"). Then in the absence of embedded macros, an
> external kbd buffer-stuffing macro program could be called into  
> service.

Yah, it's a topic I like to research further, but is for after 2.30.

> I like the idea of auto-abbreviating the words on a button instead of
> making the button bigger... although honing the abbrevation algorithm
> might lead to more legible labels. For instance when I cram the render
> pane into a small area :
>
> 'Border' becomes 'rder';
> Gamma is  "ma" and
> "Unified Renderer"  is "ed Renderer"

Hehe... it does it by default for 'number buttons'... to show at least  
the important value. Should be smarter yes. I'll code this for 2.3.

> Brdr , Gm, Unifd Rndrr much more mneumonic for a given letter count,  
> no?

Hurms...let's first have the abbreviating correct (starting from first  
letter for not-number buttons). We also have the translation problem  
here...

> I think it is important be explicit about the good points (and
> principles) before making suggestions, lest an important principle be
> sacrificed for a mere feature.

Hopefully you could find that back in the UI design doc I posted?

-Ton-

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--
Ton Roosendaal  Blender Foundation ton@blender.org  
http://www.blender.org