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View Full Version : Screen "Noise" Level

Greg Covey
Sep 13, 2001, 08:32 AM
Hi,

The new format has many advantages. As an application programmer myself, I have much experience in user interface design. I can see much added flexibility and convience with the new format but it has been over done.

A see a problem from a user interface perspective. Many of the screens are overloaded with too much information. Much of the extra information is really only useful to programmers and system maintenance personel.

I would like to see a reduction in some of the columns and items listed below. Thank you.

eliminate "Views" column
eliminate "Rating" column
eliminate arrow down button for "Goto First New Post"
envelope icons are difficult to interpret
too many buttons in general
when in a thread, reduce highlighting and emphasis on buttons
Keith Watson
Sep 13, 2001, 06:21 PM
I agree. I have done several years of usability work. The software is getting in the way of the message.

The "Last Post" column could go away.

At one time I was told that there was a setting to make the software look like the old version. This setting does not work. I would LOVE to have that setting. The software could even have settings to "hide" certain features that the user never wants to see.

I know there are lots of other reasons why this software is supposed to be better, but the user interface is not one of them.
Keith Watson
Sep 20, 2001, 01:00 PM
If none of the previous suggestions can be done, how about simply changing which columns are dark grey and which are light grey. The subject column should be the column with a light background just to make reading the text easier, because it is the column we always have to read.
tom_yellowblue
Sep 20, 2001, 03:09 PM
I agree with most of the other suggestions, but I really like the "Goto first new post" button.
RonD
Sep 22, 2001, 07:51 PM
How does the go to first new post button work. It doesn't seem to work for me. It gets somewhat close to the first new post, but I usually have to scroll up a page or two to get to the first new post. What do I need to adjust to get this to work.
Greg Covey
Sep 26, 2001, 04:04 PM
It appears apparent that the RATING column is not needed.