This is a quick update on a feature that was still missing, but now we got it ;).
this short video shows the new ui for the configuration of an activity: right now you can configure the activity name and wallpaper, probably more options to come (even tough it will remain as simple as possible). It is accessed by a button on the activity switcher weel or from the activity itself (if the used Plasma containment provides a config button)
This will probably be shared in the initial creation of an activity as well. In the near weeks it will be possible from the activity wheel to create and delete activities (including options to clone the current activity, or create one based on templates downloadable from the web), so, more to come, stay tuned 😉
Hey,
just a suggestin to make it more user-friendly: Why don’t you place the two buttos currently placed at the bottom directly on each wallpaper instead. Only make them active (=not transparent and clickable) when a wallpaper is selected, so they don’t get hit accidentally. This way you could make them bigger without reducing the size of the wallpaper preview and the user doesn’t have to move his finger all the way down to select a wallpaper – the options rather appear “right next to his finger” once he selected one of the preview images.
Just an idea…
Why not apply in one click? First tap to select, then again to apply is the sort of double work that makes using a nokia phone so horrible, which is again part of why nokia is loosing market shares!
I got few feelings:
– showing just 3 is not so nice when user has more than 5 wallpapers. User needs to scroll forever trough all of them.
– Clicking does not do more than “Select” the wallpaper
– The “Apply” is on bottom left corner and if that is the default for Plasma Active then it is bad, as user ends waving hand all the time from wanted object to “Apply” at left side/corner. Totally different thing as in WIMP GUI.
I would make small changes:
– Show at least 8 (4×2) wallpaper, but max 12 (4×3).
– Touching a wallpaper could set the wallpaper temporally in background to show the user how the theme looks with it.
or
– Touch wallpaper to set it as wallpaper, press long to get bigger preview.
If there must be “Apply” and “Cancel” buttons (what there should not be when it is about touch screens… Check how Apple has done it. Touch screens are not WIMP interfaces but far from it and that is reason why Windows and Symbian and Maemo have failed because they act like WIMP interfaces) then they should be close as possible the object what it touch with minimal hand movement. Wrist can be moved easily, but whole hand starts making the UI bad soon.
As I just got feeling “You scroll, you scroll and you scroll” and “you press here and then there and then that and now you applied your change”.
Animations looks nice and effort is done but is this discussed in kde-usability mailinglist?