advanced settings (was Re: [drupal-devel] advanced theme in core vs all in core.)

Larry Garfield larry at garfieldtech.com
Wed Sep 7 08:47:19 UTC 2005


On Wednesday 07 September 2005 02:07 am, Bèr Kessels wrote:
> An advanced tab is considered very bad design.
> It allows lazy UI design (hmm where to put that, aah well, Ill stick it in
> advanced untill I have a better idea) but above all: there is no reason to
> have an advanced tab.
>
> If you design your UI in a good way, people need not bother at all about
> "advancedness" of settnigs. For them they are all equal.

Precisely what I've been saying. :-)  The solution to the "don't add more 
configuration options because it's confusing" problem isn't to create a "mere 
users don't use this" section, it's to allow module designers more power in 
organizing options in proper ways.  (And to not be so paranoid about 
additional configuration options.)

For most modules, I suspect that proper use of fieldsets is perfectly 
adequate.  For very large or very customizable modules, having the ability to 
add additional settings tabs with meaningful names is a much better solution 
than an arbitrary "advanced" tab.

-- 
Larry Garfield			AIM: LOLG42
larry at garfieldtech.com		ICQ: 6817012

"If nature has made any one thing less susceptible than all others of 
exclusive property, it is the action of the thinking power called an idea, 
which an individual may exclusively possess as long as he keeps it to 
himself; but the moment it is divulged, it forces itself into the possession 
of every one, and the receiver cannot dispossess himself of it."  -- Thomas 
Jefferson



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