[openbeos] Re: inconsistency?

Alan Westbrook <alan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:
>
> I am curious as to why no one has thought of audio indicators as well 
> as visual ones for this 
> purpose. Is sound so rare on people's systems?
> 
The chief reasons I can think of is:
a) I might not want to disturb others at home
b) I listen to music and don't want to disturb it
c) I listen to music and might not ever take notice
d) I don't have my speakers on all the time.

As an additional indicator, fine.  But not primary.

- tic

> Alan
> 
> 
> Axel Dörfler wrote:
> > Adi Oanca <e2joseph@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > 
> >>Axel Dörfler wrote:
> >>
> >>>Although I am not really a friend of the bubble windows in 
> > > > Windows, 
> >>>I 
> >>>think they have at least one advantage over your 2nd suggestion: 
> > > > it 
> >>>doesn't change the window position.
> >>
> >>    That's not really an advantage. We all know BeOS has a poor 
> > > layout 
> >>system. If you have 2 instances of a window you won't see the first 
> >>one 
> >>unless you move the second. To avoid this, applications need to 
> >>calculate a proper position based on god knows what algorithm which 
> >>take 
> >>into account previous spawned windows.
> >>    Personally I don't like the absolute window placing system, an 
> > > app 
> >>can't know where it's best to lay out its windows. I Like very much 
> >>the 
> >>cascade placing system followed by best fit and edge ones.
> >>    If you remember we talked on IK list about a layout system and 
> > > said 
> >>it 
> >>will definitely be a part of R2 if not R1.
> > 
> > 
> > There is a subtle difference between placing "a" window and several 
> > windows. I prefer to find things where I left them, and I am 
> > annoyed if 
> > windows pop up at a place where I didn't expect it.
> > Now, when you talk about opening a new StyledEdit window (the 
> > second), 
> > there is definitely a need for proper placement.
> > But in one way, I think I must agree (probably) with Jonas: we 
> > shouldn't do too much. Subtle changes to improve the user 
> > experience.
> > 
> > 
> >>>It also makes sure that the user 
> >>>can grasp the whole title and origin of that window.
> >>
> >>    Part of the title will be available in my 2nd suggestion. Also 
> > > a 
> >>part 
> >>of thew new window will there. Think it's better than just a title. 
> >>You 
> >>know, the smallest graphical representation it's better than a 
> > > text.
> >>    And where would the new window be durring this time?
> > 
> > 
> > Sure, it would definitely be nice to see the whole window. That's 
> > why I 
> > would like to combine those things, ie. have that unobtrusive 
> > bubble 
> > window and a transparent overlay of the window asking for user 
> > attendance.
> > When we are working in a full screen window, we couldn't move those 
> > windows around anyway.
> > 
> > 
> >>>It could go away after a while, and it could also have a button 
> >>>that 
> >>>moves W' to the foreground.
> >>>Combine that with the transparency effect of yours and a hot key 
> >>>that 
> >>>the user can press during that fade out time (and afterwards as 
> >>>long as 
> >>>the bubble is open) to bring that window to front.
> >>
> >>    Do not agree with that. User is busy with something. We have 
> >>notified 
> >>him, let him finish its work.
> > 
> > 
> > No, he doesn't have to be that busy. We'll notify him about an 
> > event, 
> > and *he* should be the one in charge to decide what to do next. A 
> > hot 
> > key will ease switching to the new window for him without having to 
> > leave the keyboard.
> > I would suggest to reuse the current app/window switcher hot key 
> > for 
> > this (ie. ctrl-tab). We just have to make sure that that new window 
> > is 
> > placed next.
> > 
> > 
> >>    When he's done, surely will pay some attention to the new 
> > > window, 
> >>especially since it's placed immediately after the current one *and
> > > * 
> >>partially visible.
> > 
> > 
> > It doesn't have to be partially visible as long as you don't refer 
> > to 
> > the transparent overlay.
> > 
> > 
> >>>If you don't need to click the bubbles away, I think they are a 
> >>>good 
> >>>way of informative but unobtrusive way of getting information to 
> >>>the 
> >>>user. If there was such a popup, I think it would be nice to have 
> > > > a 
> >>>tray icon for all past events the user didn't acknowledge.
> >>
> >>    This is not critical information, so IMHO, the tray icon is not 
> >>needed. 
> >>It's not a disaster if user passed a window creation event.
> > 
> > 
> > Well, when we've already developed an unobtrusive messaging 
> > approach, 
> > why not reuse it for other messages of similar importance as well?
> > When I look at the computer monitor and just see this bubble window 
> > disappear without being able to identify it, I would like to be 
> > able to 
> > see what I missed.
> > 
> > 
> >>>>  Also, what happens when the focus window is maximized...?
> >>>
> >>>The bubble could always be ontop, always at the same position. Of 
> >>>course, only if that very position is not the hot spot of current 
> >>>user 
> >>>input (ie. the view having focus is covered).
> >>
> >>    Now, this may be a good case for a bubble but I still don't 
> > > like 
> >>it.
> >>    A solution which was suggested by a colleague at work:
> >>    The Deskbar entry(application) for that window flashes. But the 
> >>Deskbar is not visible you'd say. That's not a problem, bring the 
> >>Deskbar in front(without focus) for 3 seconds, then send it at its 
> >>previous place. We can even make the Deskbar 50/40% transparent.
> >>    I thought this is good idea, what do you think?
> > 
> > 
> > I think it's not necessary and also confusing to have two different 
> > transparent windows, one of them even flashing. 
> > I also dislike the blinking effect for its very nature :)
> > 
> > Anyway, I think the transparent window overlay is a good idea, and 
> > I 
> > also think that we agree on this to a certain extend. Anything 
> > beyond 
> > that we should continue to discuss.
> > I would like to have an unobtrusive messaging system, be it bubbles 
> > or 
> > something else, but it would be great if we could use this for 
> > other 
> > thing that just this one sense as well.
> > 
> > Bye,
> >    Axel.
> > 
> > 
> 
> 
> 

--
Mikael Jansson
http://mikael.jansson.be

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