SourceMage Grimoire Bug List

[bugzilla-daemon AT bugs.sourcemage.org]

http://bugs.sourcemage.org/show_bug.cgi?id=13597

           Summary: linux spell UI improvements
           Product: Codex
           Version: stable grimoire
          Platform: Other
        OS/Version: other
            Status: NEW
          Severity: normal
          Priority: P2
         Component: kernels
        AssignedTo: kernels AT sourcemage.org
        ReportedBy: jblosser-smgl AT firinn.org
                CC: sm-grimoire-bugs AT lists.ibiblio.org


The linux kernel UI gets various complaints, here's some suggestions for
improvements from a usability perspective, starting at the beginning of the 
cast
and moving on.

============

The 'commit' label on buttons is not really standard, so it's confusing.  It  
 
would be better to use the same labels sorcery uses, like 'OK' and 'Exit'.

New and old ktree are not clear names.  Old sounds like a non-current version
vs. "existing".  Use longer labels, eg 'oldktree : reconfigure existing 
kernel 
build tree', 'newktree : create a new kernel build tree', 'expert : specify an
existing custom kernel build tree'.

patch menu is confusing.  
- The patch submenu requires you to click the checkbox, then hit 'toggle', 
then
  hit 'commit'.  This is unlike any other interface I've ever seen.  The
'toggle' labels by each checkbox option aren't meaningful either as far as I 
can
tell.  This should really just be a regular checkbox setup with an 'OK' or
something at the end.
- The 'commit' label on the patch category menu should probably be 'exit'.

The whole bouncing forward and back tier thing is confusing now.  It's
confusing to keep getting dropped back to a previous selection for something
that feels like it should be linear.  Yeah it's cool they can redo stuff but
not the way it is right now.  Also other spells don't let people backtrack
around so this is confusing.  They expect to ctrl-c if they screw up and
restart and expect it to work.  The button labels don't help; they aren't
consistent and they use text people aren't used to.

Probably something linear like this would be better:

Select a tree to use:
|-> oldktree : reconfigure existing kernel build tree
    |-> select old source tree
        |-> go (select configuration tool...)
|-> newktree : create a new kernel build tree
    |-> select version
        |-> select patches
            |-> go
|-> expert   : specify an existing custom kernel build tree
    ... I'm not sure where this is supposed to go next, it just prompts for a 
 
        version string
        
Keeping the back and forth approach would require better labels and less 
going 
on inside each step so people remember better where they are.

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