[hoary] initial usability reactions

[Hudson Delbert J Contr 61 CS/SCBN]

	Greg,

	this is how i throttle usage of the context menu (rt click)
	on www pages - i know its just javascript but maybe it will
	give someone	an idea of how to do it on more global scale
	especially 	since most desktops are now 'web-enabled'.

	i am required to use win2k at work. i use task manager to kill
	windows explorer which killz icons and clears the desktop 
	and w2k runs so much nicer - besides whenever it needs it win2k
	executes explorer code to help it and the user to navigate.

	i would not cfg a windoze box in this manner for most people
	as it would be difficult for most. i think its important that
	implementers play to the strengths of their user base and ubuntu
	for the most part has done that except i see waaaaaaaaaaay to
	much whinh about how windows dopes and how come ubuntu doesnt do
	this or that like windows or osx. its not any of those. its a unix
	clone, linux. 
	
	v/r,
	piranha.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!start of button-killer
code!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!	 
<script language="JavaScript">function open() {}</script>

<script language="JavaScript">
	var message=" Right Mouse Button Not Allowed on this Page - Press
Enter";
function clickIE5(){
	if (event.button==2){
	alert(message);
}
}
function clickNS6(){
	if (document.layers||document.getElementById&&!document.all){
	if (e.which==2||e.which==3){
	alert(message);
	return false;
}
}
}
	if (document.layers){
		document.captureEvents(Event.MOUSEDOWN);
		document.onmousedown=clickNS6;
}
	else if (document.all&&!document.getElementById){
		document.onmousedown=clickIE5;
}
document.oncontextmenu=new Function("alert(message);return false")

</script>

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!end of button-killer code!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-----Original Message-----
From: ubuntu-users-bounces at lists.ubuntu.com
[mailto:ubuntu-users-bounces at lists.ubuntu.com]On Behalf Of Greg
Rothenberger
Sent: Wednesday, November 17, 2004 10:17 AM
To: ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com
Subject: Re: [hoary] initial usability reactions


Speaking as someone whose job entails training *very*
inexperienced computer users in a Windows environment,
I have to agree with this: right-click is the cause of
more confusion (and fear) for our users than anything
else (except viruses). No matter how many times we
tell them that unless we specifically say right-click,
they will use the left button, they still ask, "Is
that right-click or left-click?" BTW, I'm training new
computer users (generally age 50+) in a public library
environment.

I'd very much like to find a way around the entire
right-click problem, but I've no ideas right now. If
anyone has, I'd love to hear them.

On the whole icons/empty desktop issue, I prefer my
desktop empty. In fact, that's one of the things I
love about Ubuntu: a nice, clean desktop. Other
people, however, use desktop icons. Yesterday, I was
late getting out of work because I had to put
shortcuts on the desktops of some new computers in
another department so they could find their programs
and most important documents. Please understand, these
aren't stupid people (although I wasn't willing to
concede that yesterday); they just don't know how to
find anything on a computer. So if it makes it easier
for new users to have desktop icons, put them in. Just
let me be able to turn them off.

Greg Rothenberger
New Albany (Indiana) USA
"Shackled to Windows at work, but free at home."

Mr. Dunbar wrote:


Ugh. Right-click. One of the worst interface crutches
ever devised (I
love it but I'm also not your typical computer user).
Right-click is
the single-worst design flaw in GUIs since it obviates
the need for a
good GUI design plan (i.e. to access
settings/commands). I have seen
SOOOOO many new and also EXPERIENCED computer users
completely baffled
by right-click commands. It was the experienced
computer users that I
found interesting to watch -- when I noticed last year
that
experienced users seemed to have problems with
right-click, I spent a
few weeks watching computer users around me and
discovered that _most_
experienced computer users didn't use right-click. Now
that I'm in a
100% Windoze environment at work (100s of idiot boxes)
I've watched
people ... that Windoze requires the use of
right-click is a major
deterrent for people using their computers
effectively.

Eric.

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