-----Original Message----- From: development-bounces@drupal.org [mailto:development-bounces@drupal.org] On Behalf Of Jeremy Epstein

Just a quick example from another piece of software (and yes, people can complain that Microsoft is evil and that it produces buggy software, but they can't complain that its software is terribly hard to use). In Windows XP, the 'control panel' groups administrative tasks logically. There is no 'settings' icon within the Windows control panel. However, within the 'Display' area, there is a 'settings' tab (for 'global' settings, such as your screen resolution), along with 'sets-of-data' things, such as colour schemes and screen savers. Same with the 'User Accounts' area: the management of individual user accounts is right in there with the 'general user settings'. Certainly something to consider.

Cheers, Jaza.

I feel the need to mention something here. While I realize the example provided is an example and I am the guy that definitly uses MS the example above is not complete as I have a very different experience with it. The Windows XP control panel offers multiple views. A classic and category. These views are can also be controlled by policy settings locally or from a domain level, etc. Frankly, I find the the 'category view to be hard to understand and find things consistently. Part of this is training and experience and part of this is that some of the categorizations do not make sense to me. Also, in your Display example. There exists Video drivers that extend the options available and many times these options are not presented in a manner that makes sense. (nVidia drivers for instance). This gives an effect not unlike some contrib modules. The user accounts button example is also incomplete. If you have a more complex envirnoment, it is not in fact something you use. You use a different tool to manage user accounts in a domain environment including local accounts so never learn about these settings in a domain environment. So, what's my point of dragging in the different and advanced options of this example? (Well, someone used an example from my field. :D ) Well not that, but this .... It really doesn't matter what interface we eventually go with because people are going to have to learn it. That it takes lessons from the current GUI 'norms' (assuming such exist) is good. What does matter is that we decide on rules and guidelines for it. Then we publish those rules and guidelines for contrib. AND we try to be consistent about the logic for placement. Any interface will need to be learned no matter what. As long as we are consistent about it, it will less of a curve. Drupal is still not a 'simple' thing to use and despite the fact that it is getting easier it doesn't mean easy. :D. The Drupal admin interface has been evolving. I think Earl's admin interface patch is a step in the right direction. It's been worked on and gotten a lot of good feedback to refine it. I think that it can be fine-tuned over time from this starting point, but it's pretty darn good now. -sp