Trunk wishlist: Some little general improvements on client

[Ana Juaristi Olalde]

Hi...

I have been testing for some hours the new trunk version. I think there is a lot of good changes made comparing last version, but there is some changes that I think could confuse the actual 5.0 user.

Some of my teachers said sometime that versioning software is good but new version should mantain most as possible general usage and aparence of last version. So I can see, there is many changes that could be mantained from this version, just to make users learning easier new version.

Here is the list:
1. Products and companies are inside right side menus. I should let them on general menu left side.
2. Search forms:
      a) Find and clean buttons are now left side, not right side. User has to change the way they move usually mouse to find them.
      b) Previows and next buttons are now right side, not left side. Same case. I think they should stay same place they are now.
      c) "status" filter button: REALLY GREAT IDEA!!!! I think this new feature is the best change on client from 5.0.6 but, if you push one of them the others should be "not pushed". Otherwise, you obtain no lines and you have to click two times one to unclick the previous button and second to click the new status.
      d) Autovalidate combo. Too complex. Not usefull. It's complicated knowing the field you really need in a moment. I think it should only show the fields marked as "searcheable = 1 and searcheable = 2" on view to improve usability. Great idea also having "OR" filter possibility and saving filters.

3. Menus:
Too many changes. A final user, using 5.0 have to learn again where most options are located. Configuration menus are shown downside, not upside. It's necesary looking for them. Even if I know is maybe more logic, because is grouped by functionality... we all have to learn again. :)

Maybe this little things are not important for you. It's not for myself but IMHO, I think it's very important for final users skilled with 5.0.6 mantaining previous way of working when it's possible.

I will go on testing trunk, next days

Thank you very much!!!

Ana

[Raphaël Valyi - http://www.akretion.com (rvalyi)]

Hello just a general remark: I'm not against change, we must admit a lot of
the current decisions have been taken too quickly or have not been
implemented as wished because of lack of resources. Also, we should keep in
mind that the current user base of OpenERP is really peanut compared to what
it aims to be. So we should make sure we do not penalize the whole market
and application to please the habit of a small conservative minority. This
is exactly what makes proprietary initiative fails: care only about their
small user base, now OpenERP has to take all the smart decisions(as long as
they are debated and exposed first) whatever it takes IMHO.

On Mon, Feb 8, 2010 at 10:29 PM, Ana Juaristi Olalde
<email address hidden>wrote:

> Public bug reported:
>
> Hi...
>
> I have been testing for some hours the new trunk version. I think there
> is a lot of good changes made comparing last version, but there is some
> changes that I think could confuse the actual 5.0 user.
>
> Some of my teachers said sometime that versioning software is good but
> new version should mantain most as possible general usage and aparence
> of last version. So I can see, there is many changes that could be
> mantained from this version, just to make users learning easier new
> version.
>
> Here is the list:
> 1. Products and companies are inside right side menus. I should let them on
> general menu left side.
> 2. Search forms:
> a) Find and clean buttons are now left side, not right side. User has
> to change the way they move usually mouse to find them.
> b) Previows and next buttons are now right side, not left side. Same
> case. I think they should stay same place they are now.
> c) "status" filter button: REALLY GREAT IDEA!!!! I think this new
> feature is the best change on client from 5.0.6 but, if you push one of
> them the others should be "not pushed". Otherwise, you obtain no lines and
> you have to click two times one to unclick the previous button and second to
> click the new status.
> d) Autovalidate combo. Too complex. Not usefull. It's complicated
> knowing the field you really need in a moment. I think it should only show
> the fields marked as "searcheable = 1 and searcheable = 2" on view to
> improve usability. Great idea also having "OR" filter possibility and saving
> filters.
>
> 3. Menus:
> Too many changes. A final user, using 5.0 have to learn again where most
> options are located. Configuration menus are shown downside, not upside.
> It's necesary looking for them. Even if I know is maybe more logic, because
> is grouped by functionality... we all have to learn again. :)
>
> Maybe this little things are not important for you. It's not for myself
> but IMHO, I think it's very important for final users skilled with 5.0.6
> mantaining previous way of working when it's possible.
>
> I will go on testing trunk, next days
>
> Thank you very much!!!
>
> Ana
>
> ** Affects: openobject-client
> Importance: Undecided
> Status: New
>
> ** Project changed: openobject-addons => openobject-client
>
> --
> Trunk wishlist: Some little general improvements on client
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/519086
> You received this ...

[Ana Juaristi Olalde (ajuaristio)]

    Raphael Said: we should keep in mind that the current user base of OpenERP is really peanut compared to what it aims to be. So we should make sure we do not penalize the whole market and application to please the habit of a small conservative minority.

I totally agree with you

I never said don't changing client or penalizing functionality on it. I only said that there is changes that don't increase usability or navegability and could be avoided. Look at first two points on search form. Its a little silly thing but changing buttons location side, you are forcing user to learn a little new working way when it's not necesary at all. This change it is not increasing functionality, not adding value but complexing a little bit more the step of learning to work with new version.

But this is simply my opinion and bug is set as wishlist on tittle. I only wanted to give my point of view that I think is near final user.

[Nhomar - Vauxoo (nhomar)]

Hello.
I m agree with Ana, but,
@Ana
If you mantain a client you nee to use the stable version that is mantained,
I think that the version 5.0 will be mantained by at least one or two years
more, in this time, you can sell the Idea of Upgrade the version, obviouslly
upgrade the version will have som efforts to afront... like they should
learn the new position of buttons for example!
In other Hand, i am agree with Ana, if a little change of a button dont
provide extra value to my improvement ¡WHY WILL I CHANGE ?, in this point i
m totaly agree with you!

Nhomar

2010/2/9 Ana Juaristi Olalde <email address hidden>

> Raphael Said: we should keep in mind that the current user base of
> OpenERP is really peanut compared to what it aims to be. So we should
> make sure we do not penalize the whole market and application to please
> the habit of a small conservative minority.
>
> I totally agree with you
>
> I never said don't changing client or penalizing functionality on it. I
> only said that there is changes that don't increase usability or
> navegability and could be avoided. Look at first two points on search
> form. Its a little silly thing but changing buttons location side, you
> are forcing user to learn a little new working way when it's not
> necesary at all. This change it is not increasing functionality, not
> adding value but complexing a little bit more the step of learning to
> work with new version.
>
> But this is simply my opinion and bug is set as wishlist on tittle. I
> only wanted to give my point of view that I think is near final user.
>
> --
> Trunk wishlist: Some little general improvements on client
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/519086
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to
> OpenObject.
>
> Status in OpenObject Application Client - GTK: New
>
> Bug description:
> Hi...
>
> I have been testing for some hours the new trunk version. I think there is
> a lot of good changes made comparing last version, but there is some changes
> that I think could confuse the actual 5.0 user.
>
> Some of my teachers said sometime that versioning software is good but new
> version should mantain most as possible general usage and aparence of last
> version. So I can see, there is many changes that could be mantained from
> this version, just to make users learning easier new version.
>
> Here is the list:
> 1. Products and companies are inside right side menus. I should let them on
> general menu left side.
> 2. Search forms:
> a) Find and clean buttons are now left side, not right side. User has
> to change the way they move usually mouse to find them.
> b) Previows and next buttons are now right side, not left side. Same
> case. I think they should stay same place they are now.
> c) "status" filter button: REALLY GREAT IDEA!!!! I think this new
> feature is the best change on client from 5.0.6 but, if you push one of
> them the others should be "not pushed". Otherwise, you obtain no lines and
> you have to click two times one to unclick the previous button and second to
> click the new status.
> d) Autovalidate combo. Too complex. Not usefull. It's complicated
> knowing the field you ...

[Carlos Liebana (carlos-liebana)]

I haven't recently tested the trunk branch, but I agree with Ana that I'd like to know the reason to focus in developing that changes which make little sense to me (the one of the search form, for example), being some other major changes (MRP for example) waiting.

I always mention this redesign: http://www.jesusencinar.com/2008/02/rediseo-de-idea.html , of the biggest real-estate website of Spain and Italy. The conclussion can be applied to any interface: Once you're users have learnt how your application/website works, it's not fair to change the main functional core... If they really need to learn again or the change it's not fully justified

This is not a criticism to anybody, just curiosity maybe, that of course there are a lot of things out of my knowledge. A quick "discussion" or forum post like the one that was made for the redesign of the web interface would be great!

[Olivier Dony (Odoo) (odo-openerp)]

Ana and everyone,

Thanks for your feedback! This bug/wishlist seems also quite on topic for the usability workshop of the community days next week, which some of you will attend. I have added a reference on the agenda of the workshop (http://piratepad.net/communitydays-usability)

[Jay Vora (Serpent Consulting Services) (jayvora)]

Thanks to everyone.

As of current date, usability improvements and other strategically user-friendly improvements have taken place on trunk 6.0RC1.

We really appreciate participation of everyone for the continuous guidance.

You may open another bug if you feel something is still missing.

Thanks.