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Ubuntu desktop moving application menus back into application windows

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I actually like global menus ... (Score: 3, Insightful)

by danieldvorkin@pipedot.org on 2014-02-21 20:03 (#45)

... but I like choice even more. I really wish interface designers (or their bosses) would get this through their heads: when people are used to doing something a certain way, don't force them to do it a different way, unless it's absolutely necessary for the application to function. If you come up with a new way that you think is better, great, make it an option or even set it as the default--but always offer your users a choice of switching back to the behavior they're used to, preferably without jumping through a lot of hoops, or you will accomplish nothing good.

Re: I actually like global menus ... (Score: 2, Informative)

by jonh@pipedot.org on 2014-02-21 20:53 (#47)

In this case, it seems like they are giving you the choice. There's a new option in the Appearance Settings , which defaults to the current behaviour -- I expect that they'll want to change the default in some future release.

I think it's almost axiomatic that any significant UI changes will cause outrage in the short term (e.g. Windows 8, Slashdot Beta, any time Facebook changes anything, Xbox 360 dashboard, Netflix...). People hate change; even actual interface improvements will probably be met with hostily in the short term. As a developer, you can expect at least a couple of weeks of overwhelmingly negative feedback for any significant UI alterations you make -- but if you're not starting to see mixed to positive to responses once the initial shock dies down, then you may have to admit that you have actually made things worse...

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Time Reason Points Voter
2014-03-11 19:30 Informative +1 kerrany@pipedot.org

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