[Box Backup] Suggestion for Boxi UI improvements

[Achim]

Hello Chris:

On 11/08/2009 21:39, Chris Wilson wrote:
> I agree with the general principle, although I think having about 4-5
> buttons on the front page with clear text descriptions could be equally
> useful if not more so, and that's the way it's designed at the moment.

My thinking is that all the functionality and descriptions are 
definitely there. However, wouldn't it be so much more convenient to 
have bigger buttons that also give visual clues (other than text) as to 
what will happen? Why make the user navigate to the small button on the 
far right hand side, if we could have big friendly buttons.

"Design of Everyday things" [1] and "User Interface Design For 
Programmers" [2] repeat the following mantras:

* Users don't read stuff
* Users can't use the mouse
* Users can't remember anything

So one should reduce the options as much as possible to avoid confusion, 
and make the interface work for the user, even if it means that we have 
to break some UI guidelines such as default sized buttons.

Look for example at what Microsoft did with the Ribbons: broke their own 
guidelines to offer an interface that most users feel more comfortable 
with, because it is task-oriented.

> don't think that hiding the wizard and advanced configuration options
> helps, does it?

We are not hiding it, but rather give more space to actions that are far 
more likely after the initial installation/configuration.

On any start-up where no bbackupd.conf file is found or passed via -c, 
the wizard shows. In all other cases (Boxi is configured), I believe 
that Backup, Restore and Compare will be some much more frequent than 
configuration that very easyly accessible menu item ("Accounts" - "Setup 
Wizard") is sufficient, and results in more (visual) attention for the 
major actions.

>> The problem is that Boxi on Windows and OS X always shows all the tabs of
>> the wxNotebook, regardless of what stage of a backup/restore/compare you
>> are.
>
> Yes, that is a bug and one that I'm aware of. The way it works under
> Gnome is the way it's supposed to work on all platforms.

OK, good to hear: under Gnome, the UI makes more sense. Is it a matter 
of RemovePage()/AddPage() calls, or more complex than that?

> I deliberately chose to implement a modeless interface that lets the
> user switch between views. I have seen users often enough get really
> confused and lost with modal interfaces because they are not intuitive
> and stop the user from doing what they want to do. I intend to implement
> Boxi in such a way that a modeless interface is completely possible and
> easier to use than a modal one.

I agree if the modelessness refers to Backup, Restore and Compare. 
However, there is no need to see the tabs "Compare Progress" or "Compare 
Files" when you are in "Backup Progress" at the moment, right?

>> Boxi at the moment is already a fantastic tool, and so much easier to
>> use than the command line. With a streamlined "Boxi NG" as proposed
>> here, I am convinced that this project can make another important step
>> and further increase it appeal to end users.
>
> I will think about it, but by all means open it up to discussion with
> other users.

Let's hear it (-:

Thanks for listening!

[1] <http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item/default.asp?tid=5393&ttype=2>
[2] <http://www.joelonsoftware.com/uibook/chapters/fog0000000064.html>