[Bf-funboard] With respect to interface simplicity

Wed, 8 Oct 2003 16:06:09 -0500

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	I couldn't agree more. It took me a long time to learn Blender, but
now that I have, I wouldn't want it any other way.

		Timothy Baldridge

> ----------
> From: 	Jeffrey F. Cuff
> Reply To: 	bf-funboard@blender.org
> Sent: 	Monday, October 6, 2003 10:22 PM
> To: 	Bf-funboard@blender.org
> Subject: 	[Bf-funboard] With respect to interface simplicity
> 
> I feel like I'm late at this party, so to break the ice and get down
> to business quickly I'll make this initial posting fairly general.
> I'm still wading thru archived postings, so it may take
> me a while to get up to speed.
> 
> This first posting is a statement of what I have really liked about 
> the Blender UI which I've used it since version 1.5, and I guess
> stability / consistancy counts for a lot. I'm not into change for its
> own sake.
> 
> I've boiled what I like about the Blender UI down to one principle which
> I will state as the prime directive in UI design.
> 
> 1. Respect the user.
> 
> Blender assumes that I will spend most of my life as an experienced, 
> intelligent user who knows what he's doing instead of a naive user in
> need of constant hand-holding, training wheels (used for 1 week but
> welded to the frame of the bike), and wizards (who insist on asking
> seven questions in seven different windows, when one will do). 
> 
> Like: assuming that if I ask the program to do something, I mean it
> (e.g. Yes, darn it, I do want to overwrite that file, not change from
> the default answer of "no" first). Like: when a window does pop up, I
> want the cursor be in it. That I will learn the meaning of a simple icon
> which can be drawn small to save screen-space (e.g plus/minus means
> zoom, I don't need a detailed picture of a magnifying glass).
> 
> Respect is probably the most important UI design parameter, as it
> ramifies through the system. Ulimately, it is more important than
> "friendliness" to the new user.
> 
> 2. Even-handed operation (one on trackball, one on keyboard). 
> 
> Crucial to efficient use of Blender. (imagine how cumbersome it would be
> to have to trundle the cursor to the menu bar and select Grab every time
> you wanted to move something instead of using Key-G) This has
> implications for hotkey assignment, as keybrd real estate is even more
> limited than screenspace.
> 
> 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.
>  
> See "respect", above.
> 
> 
> 3. Uncluttered screen.
> 
> e.g. Non-overlapping windows, small icons, low chrome-content. Muted and
> restrained use of colour. Named views.  
> 
> Having ten (related) options on one pane instead of ten.
> 
> I like bars, buttons and icons, small and simple. When I'm working, I
> want to see my work, not the UI.
> 
> 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"
> 
> A "smarter" truncation algorithm would favour dropping 
> double consonants, vowels (latter dropped first), 
> split the losses in multiword  lables, and try to preserve capital
> letters. 
> 
> Even straight-up trailing end truncation would be an improvement over
> beheading words.
> 
> (oops, i didn't mean to actually make a suggestion in this post)
> 
> Brdr , Gm, Unifd Rndrr much more mneumonic for a given letter count, no?
> 
> See "respect", above.
> 
> ***
> 
> 
> 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.
> 
> And though this may be late in the UI design process, I figure it's
> never a wrong time to say "you're on the right track".
> _______________________________________________
> Bf-funboard mailing list
> Bf-funboard@blender.org
> http://www.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-funboard
> 
> 

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I couldn't agree more. It took me a long time =
to learn Blender, but now that I have, I wouldn't want it any other =
way.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; =
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Timothy Baldridge

<UL>
----------
 From: &nbsp; Jeffrey F. Cuff
 Reply To: =
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; bf-funboard@blender.org
 Sent: &nbsp; Monday, October 6, 2003 10:22 PM
 To: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; =
Bf-funboard@blender.org
 Subject: =
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [Bf-funboard] With respect to interface =
simplicity

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Monaco">I feel like I'm late at this party, =
so to break the ice and get down</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Monaco">to business quickly I'll make this =
initial posting fairly general.</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Monaco">I'm still wading thru archived =
postings, so it may take</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Monaco">me a while to get up to =
speed.</FONT>
</P>

This first posting is a statement of =
what I have really liked about 
 the Blender UI which I've used it =
since version 1.5, and I guess
 stability / consistancy counts for a =
lot. I'm not into change for its
 own sake.

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Monaco">I've boiled what I like about the =
Blender UI down to one principle which</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Monaco">I will state as the prime directive =
in UI design.</FONT>
</P>

1. Respect the user.

Blender assumes that I will spend =
most of my life as an experienced, 
 intelligent user who knows what he's =
doing instead of a naive user in
 need of constant hand-holding, =
training wheels (used for 1 week but
 welded to the frame of the bike), =
and wizards (who insist on asking
 seven questions in seven different =
windows, when one will do).

Like: assuming that if I ask the =
program to do something, I mean it
 (e.g. Yes, darn it, I do want to =
overwrite that file, not change from
 the default answer of &quot;no&quot; =
first). Like: when a window does pop up, I
 want the cursor be in it. That I =
will learn the meaning of a simple icon
 which can be drawn small to save =
screen-space (e.g plus/minus means
 zoom, I don't need a detailed =
picture of a magnifying glass).

Respect is probably the most =
important UI design parameter, as it
 ramifies through the system. =
Ulimately, it is more important than
 &quot;friendliness&quot; to the new =
user.

2. Even-handed operation (one on =
trackball, one on keyboard).

Crucial to efficient use of Blender. =
(imagine how cumbersome it would be
 to have to trundle the cursor to the =
menu bar and select Grab every time
 you wanted to move something instead =
of using Key-G) This has
 implications for hotkey assignment, =
as keybrd real estate is even more
 limited than screenspace.

There are still a few unassigned keys =
on the keyboard. The core
 features, properly, got first call =
on the &quot;simple&quot; [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 
 (&quot;reserved for user&quot;). =
Then in the absence of embedded macros, an
 external kbd buffer-stuffing macro =
program could be called into service.
 &nbsp;
 See &quot;respect&quot;, =
above.

3. Uncluttered screen.

e.g. Non-overlapping windows, small =
icons, low chrome-content. Muted and
 restrained use of colour. Named =
views.&nbsp;

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Monaco">Having ten (related) options on one =
pane instead of ten.</FONT>
</P>

I like bars, buttons and icons, small =
and simple. When I'm working, I
 want to see my work, not the =
UI.

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 :

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Monaco">'Border' becomes 'rder'; </FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Monaco">Gamma is&nbsp; &quot;ma&quot; and =
</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Monaco">&quot;Unified Renderer&quot;&nbsp; =
is &quot;ed Renderer&quot;</FONT>
</P>

A &quot;smarter&quot; truncation =
algorithm would favour dropping 
 double consonants, vowels (latter =
dropped first), 
 split the losses in multiword&nbsp; =
lables, and try to preserve capital
 letters.

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Monaco">Even straight-up trailing end =
truncation would be an improvement over</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Monaco">beheading words.</FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Monaco">(oops, i didn't mean to actually make =
a suggestion in this post)</FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Monaco">Brdr , Gm, Unifd Rndrr much more =
mneumonic for a given letter count, no?</FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Monaco">See &quot;respect&quot;, =
above.</FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Monaco">***</FONT>
</P>
<BR>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Monaco">I think it is important be explicit =
about the good points (and</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Monaco">principles) before making =
suggestions, lest an important principle be</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Monaco">sacrificed for a mere =
feature.</FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Monaco">And though this may be late in the UI =
design process, I figure it's</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Monaco">never a wrong time to say =
&quot;you're on the right track&quot;.</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 =
FACE=3D"Monaco">_______________________________________________</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Monaco">Bf-funboard mailing list</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Monaco">Bf-funboard@blender.org</FONT>
<BR><U><FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF" SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Monaco"><A =
HREF=3D"http://www.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-funboard" =
TARGET=3D"_blank">http://www.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-funboard</A=
></FONT></U>
</P>
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