[294] in Tooltime
Test observations
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Art Anger)
Tue Oct 15 15:36:09 1996
Date: Tue, 15 Oct 96 15:34:07 EDT
From: Art Anger <ANGER@mitvma.mit.edu>
To: Toolers <ToolTime@MIT.EDU>
OBSERVATIONS OF MACINTOSH SCOPUS ON 10/15/96
Problems
--The window for Open Result Set has a maximum width less than the width
of the data displayed, and the horizontal scroll bar is inactive.
--The selection list for Taker should begin with a Blank item, to permit
removals.
--Log importation needs to translate Queue and Method to acceptable values
for the new scheme.
Suggestions
--Right-justify label field so that changing font size becomes useful.
--Assign keyboard actions to activate Lookup and Message-Close buttons.
--Activate the Copy and Paste keys.
--Cut down the total layout size so that the horizontal scroll box motion
gives more intuitive response.
--Avoid the massive blank padding on each History-field line during import.
--Skip the "Don't save" confirmation option when window has been cleared.
--Make the History field the successor to History Entry.
--Begin the "My logs" list with those Taken by the requestor.
--Make the Status displays on parent and child windows always be consistent.
--Find a way to keep the window from scrolling each time I push Tab (which
seems to happen only after I've dealt with History).
Major area of confusion: Clear vs. Save vs. Close vs. Exit log
The introductory texts should stress these topics prominently, and I think
some eventual renaming and/or redesign is probably in order. For instance:
--After Saving a log and clicking on the window-close box, subsequent
selection in the Open-Records list causes a confirmation prompt:
"Discard your changes since last save?".
--The Close button in a Mainframe child window does not change Status to
Closed, but shuts the window. Why not call it Shut? (Or should we change
our terminology to Open and Shut cases?) Unambiguous terminology can save
hours of explanation and weeks of faltering use for EACH new consultant.
--Independent Status fields for child windows is utterly confusing.
--If Exit is the only action which unlocks a log, it should say so, so that
I will remember to use it in place of others which give the same visible
results.
