[drupal-devel] Code freeze, usability and performance

[Bèr Kessels]

Though an improvement, usability of the admin area goes FAR beyond an admin 
pane with icons. 
Without a proper foundation, a linked icon does only harm (click, hey, where 
the hack am i now?). It helps only those that look at drupal the first few 
hours. After that it is only annoying. and for us,teh developers it is FAR 
more annoying.

But above al that stands teh fact that there are FAR more important usability 
issues to be dealt with, first. Think unordered localised menu's. Think help 
texts (of contributions). Think A-New-UI-To-Be-Leared-For-very-Page-In-Drupal 
aka inconsistency. Think broken admin themes. Etc.etc.

Really, we need a STRATEGY above all, much harder than minor tweaks here and 
there. For that will result in an everlasting tweaking hell. We will then 
always spend our time fixing up bad UI's instead of doing them right from the 
beginning. This is very much the case now. both in newly introduced features 
as in those left overs. 

Propose to start with a battle plan for 4.8 and leave what we have for now. 
have. I volunteer as a member of a team of usability developers for 4.8.

Ber

Op vrijdag 16 september 2005 00:03, schreef Karoly Negyesi:
> >   - Usability: one of the most common complaints about Drupal relate to
> > the out-of-the-box experience.
>
> I would like to point out I created a control panel module (Kieran was
> involved in it) which literally mirrors the menu in the main area and if
> there are icons in the appropriate place, those are displayed too. To my
> understanding, next week this will get some themer love.
>
> I am well aware of the fact that Mambo was choosen several times because
> out-of-the-box you saw a few big, colorful icons in the administration
> area.
>
> It's in my sandbox. Maybe core? Too late? Maybe not? Merge with menu.inc?
>
> Regards
>
> NK
>
> Ps. Yes this control panel is just a thin veil and won't solve the real
> problems. Yet it is pretty.
 Bèr
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