Xfce Digest, Vol 6, Issue 29

[John Pettigrew]

In a previous message, synaptical <synaptical at linuxquestions.net> wrote:

> Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2003 19:51:48 +0000 From: John Pettigrew
> <john at pettigrew.org.uk> Subject: Re: transparent menus?
> 
> > My one big gripe with the XFce panel for usability is the tiny buttons
> > assigned to sub-panels/menus.
> 
> i don't understand why you would want to waste valuable panel "real
> estate" with an icon that does nothing but open a menu when you can attach
> a menu to an already-existing icon with the arrow widget at 1/3 the size
> and have the same exact functionality?

Because the arrow widget is very small, especially if (like me) you use a
large screen mode. I use 1600x1200 and the little arrow is hard to hit with
the mouse. Certainly it's not a simple "slide and click" action - more like
"slide, adjust, check, click".

The reason for having it is that I want panel access to many more apps than
will fit into the actual panel, and I like some of them grouped into (e.g.)
admin, DTP, web etc. categories. Currently, I have to have one "main" app
for each category and attach a menu to it. However, the choice of "main" app
is often arbitrary - it isn't "DTP menu" but "Scribus menu", for example;
not "Graphics menu" but "GIMP menu".

As I said, it's not about new functionality but about easier access to the
existing function - large buttons are easier to hit than small ones.

> if you think about it, the method you are describing would actually reduce
> usability, because the user is then forced always to click at least twice
> to open an application

Not always - only for the less-commonly used apps relegated to these
submenus. For some people (me included), using two clicks is a small price
to pay for being able to hit the first click-target more easily. Your
argument is basically against all submenus (any button on a submenu requires
two clicks to run). I would just like to have easier access to the menu.

John
-- 
John Pettigrew                         Headstrong Games
john at headstrong-games.co.uk            Fun : Strategy : Price
http://www.headstrong-games.co.uk/     Board games that won't break the bank
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