ROS design suggestion

MadRat · Post by **MadRat** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 8:26 am

How is this for a little less crazy?

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Elledan · Post by **Elledan** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 9:23 am

Question: is the start menu there to provide pointers to commonly used categories of applications, configuration items, recently used documents, etc., or be a dumping ground akin to the 'Quick Launch'-bar for every icon and shortcut which might be used at some point in the future?

I know that I prefer an uncluttered layout, which is why I'm using the Classic Theme in WinXP Pro right now. The new startmenu still fails to make sense to me, except that it's more colorful and shiny, which the average user may like more.

Crappish · Post by **Crappish** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 4:35 pm

MadRat wrote:How is this for a little less crazy?

[ external image ]

You tend to stuff too big icons too close to each other.
One of the basic guidelines for visual design is use space. With efficent space usage human eye knows where to focus instead of bouncing back and forth between elements.

Try introducing smaller icons and some space.

Also you have divided the menu in two sections, but for some reason you didn't divide the bottom section. Why? With the horisontal divider it just looks like it's quickly assembled without bothering actually think how they should be positioned. (boxes stuffed inside box)

Couple basic visual design guidelines which helps you to make things "easy for the eye"
A) distinct visual clues
B) efficently use space (and you have to be able to answer why do you use space)
C) create lines with elements (align things clearly)

+Why do you have things like ROS UPDATES (Check for Updates) instead of just Check for Updates? Why do you put the things like specific software name ahead of what it actually does? "Check for Updates" in this occasion is much more efficent.
Same with Add/Remove Software. The question is more important in this occasion. Why would you put specific sofware name in the name instead the actual purpose of the software AND specially replace the very same label that Windows has? Wouldn't user be looking for Add/Remove instead of anonymous software?

You have to be able to put yourself in position of the user when you design GUI's, preferably as first-time user.

Post by **martinfuchs** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 4:58 pm

There is basic layout I designed a while ago, displaying the search menu & view:
http://www.tpu.fi/~a5mtikka/varasto/gui ... search.jpg

As the two column start menu seem to create quarrel I created kind of
a hybrid of those two. From top down (- {item name}: {things in the
submenu}):
- Username, Help button
- The list of recent applications used
- My Documents: Recent files, Browse my files
- My Computer: Browse my computer, Printers, Control panel
- Network: Recent, Browse network, My shares, Network settings
- Search: Search, Recent, Advanced
- Run: Run, Recent, Advanced...
- All programs
- Lock and Power off

I had a look at the Zeta LiveCD (the successor of BeOS), and found a good idea as repülacement for the "Recent files" entry:
All this recently used things can be divided into three subsections:

- recent documents -> starts theassociated application and opens the document
- recent folders -> opens the folder in an explorer window
- recent applications -> launches an application out of the recently used applications in the start menu

This way the "recent files" in the start menu would not look that cluttered as in XP.

Post by **martinfuchs** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 5:07 pm

I like it very much!
The explorer look a lot better with the firefox icons. It's a proof that the current explorer icons should be removed ASAP
(of course proprietary icons can't be used...)

Sure, the modified screen shot looks good. But please tak in mind: This is only the result of using a paint program. The original screen shot looks ugly mostly because of the still missing support for alpha blended icons in ReactOS. This results in this disturbing black borders around the icons. The icons in Explorer look far better if you create the screen shot of ROS Explorer on XP, instead of ReactOS. The icons itself are using 24 bit colors + Alpha channel. But sadly ReactOS can't display them correctly until now. So before trying to replace the current icons with that of Firefox or some other... Be prepared to see similar problems with the current ReactOS graphic engine. If those issues are resolved, even the current icons will look much better in ReactOS!

Regards,

Martin

CerealMax · Post by **CerealMax** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 6:48 pm

This example that i made was to show that simple designs also make a nice interface...

some icons here are copied from other places.

i think thats important to make icons that are in the same line of design...

http://www.de-gratis.com.br/demo/react2.bmp

gestur · Post by **gestur** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 8:11 pm

i just registered to say that i like that design from cerealmax very mucho. im a big fan of lean design, and i think/hope that most ppl who spend many hours infront of their pc see it like that as well.

Elledan · Post by **Elledan** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 12:11 am

CerealMax wrote:This example that i made was to show that simple designs also make a nice interface...

some icons here are copied from other places.

i think thats important to make icons that are in the same line of design...

http://www.de-gratis.com.br/demo/react2.bmp

Only thing I would change would be the icons used for 'My Computer', 'Trash', drives and maps, as these look a bit 'retro' and don't seem to really fit with the rest of the interface.

Other than that, you did a great job! I wouldn't mind using such a GUI right now ^_^

MadRat · Post by **MadRat** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 12:41 am

Crappish,

I think you forget that 90% of the public want larger icons on the menu, not smaller. Not everyone has the eyes of a developer and tweak their icons for a 2048x1536 display. I could detach the vertical lines and re-arrange the icons a little bit, but these are the elements that I felt were most appropriate for the "quick launch" style of start menu. Quite frankly if I want certain programs a click away then they are going into a floating menu or into the quick launch bar.

CerealMax · Post by **CerealMax** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 4:33 am

Elledan wrote:
CerealMax wrote:This example that i made was to show that simple designs also make a nice interface...

some icons here are copied from other places.

i think thats important to make icons that are in the same line of design...

http://www.de-gratis.com.br/demo/react2.bmp
Only thing I would change would be the icons used for 'My Computer', 'Trash', drives and maps, as these look a bit 'retro' and don't seem to really fit with the rest of the interface.

Other than that, you did a great job! I wouldn't mind using such a GUI right now ^_^

Elledan, the purpose of the artwork was to show a nice interface with some icons of the same style, different from all the other arts showed that mixes 16color icons, 256color icons, 3D icons, 2D icons.

... and not to suggest that icons to the interface.

and like martinfuchs said before "still missing support for alpha blended icons in ReactOS", so... we cannot suggest to much.

I hope to make a better one the next time.

oiaohm · Post by **oiaohm** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 4:47 am

Good improvement. I can live with it. You had the first lot way to much jamed up the first lot have to remember the next time my eyes go ouch it needs space.

Few little things. Clutter remove option. Under Text Explaining what it does creates the look of Clutter. New users yes old users no and it will look better.

Remove all the stuff that is not in bold. Bold is hard on eyes unless its needed most likely remove bold from the text.
Change a few minor things
Ros Updates=Reactos Updates or Check for Updates
Ros Installer=Add/Remove Software

Consider using the windows help boxes ie go over start menu and sit there and it tells you click here to begin. For the discriptions new users can stop the mouse and find out old users never have to see it.

User only need to know what they need to know. If a user is adding and Removing software do they need to know that they about to use the reactos version?

Develepers user short hand. Ie Ros for Reactos don't expect the public to know this.

Note after cluter cleaning the icons could reduce to half size I guess and still work, User Should have control over Icon and Text size. MadRat Broad as able.

Some of my systems have over 500 applications installed on them menu stackup is a big problem. The problems I have is that if I move or double up a memu entry when the program uninstalls I am left with junk.

This issue has to be dealt with some how.

cmoibenlepro · Post by **cmoibenlepro** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 5:37 am

MadRat: I like it

(this thread is very interesting!

)

Crappish · Post by **Crappish** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 11:28 am

MadRat wrote:Crappish,

I think you forget that 90% of the public want larger icons on the menu, not smaller. Not everyone has the eyes of a developer and tweak their icons for a 2048x1536 display. I could detach the vertical lines and re-arrange the icons a little bit, but these are the elements that I felt were most appropriate for the "quick launch" style of start menu. Quite frankly if I want certain programs a click away then they are going into a floating menu or into the quick launch bar.

Well, if you want larger icons you have to make the menu itself bigger so that there is enough space between each element.

forart · Post by **forart** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 9:45 pm

CerealMax wrote:This example that i made was to show that simple designs also make a nice interface...

Absolutelly agree. And I hate the Windows-like shell/design !!!

Anyway, i don't wanna be boring, but ReactOS needs a clean&cool design/shell.

Some examples:

1. litestep
2. SharpE

3. *box
4. GeoShell

...and all open sourced.

CerealMax wrote:http://www.de-gratis.com.br/demo/react2.bmp

Hey Cereal, check this out !

CerealMax · Post by **CerealMax** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 10:16 pm

Patchworks wrote:
CerealMax wrote:This example that i made was to show that simple designs also make a nice interface...
Absolutelly agree. And I hate the Windows-like shell/design !!!

Anyway, i don't wanna be boring, but ReactOS needs a clean&cool design/shell.

Some examples:

1. litestep
2. SharpE
3. *box
4. GeoShell

...and all open sourced.

CerealMax wrote:http://www.de-gratis.com.br/demo/react2.bmp
Hey Cereal, check this out !

shit!! this is cool a lot... i love BeOS men... BeOS, Zeta, i'm envolved with the tests of them...

BeOS is an example of a good work... i believe that there isn't a easyest GUI for POSIX systems than BeOS.

BeOS is one of some ambients that can be taked as example.

Patchworks, take a look on QNX style
http://www.operating-system.org/betrieb ... bs-qnx.htm

QNX have a lot to teach us.

ROS design suggestion

Do you like it?

Good work MadRat

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