[Design] Adjustable width sidebar: bug 6216

[Markku Mielityinen]

Hi Mimi,

Thank you for your quick reply.

> In the short-term, we've decided that the current design is good 
> enough given that the above work items are more work.

I totally agree that the current design is good for the time being. I am 
also happy to hear that the idea of extending this design has been 
considered already.

> As for the design philosophy of 'not making choices for the user', I 
> think that's a very general statement that has merit, but would be 
> dangerous to apply everywhere. After all, what is design other than 
> making smart choices for users, choices that either most users aren't 
> interested in making; or choices that users aren't equipped to make.

I feel the same way in a sense that good design is one of the best 
strategies to enhance the user experience. The essence of 'not making 
choices for the user' philosophy is to make the default settings meet 
the requirements of the majority but not to prevent making changes from 
those who want and are equipped to do them. Like all philosophies, when 
taken to extremes the result is not what was originally wanted. I am 
aware of the problems in designing an user interface that is able to 
meet the requirements of a heterogeneous user population. Some designers 
prefers the so called one button user interface, where the user is 
unable to do anything wrong as there is only one button to press, 
whereas others prefer to go to the other extreme with powerful but also 
very complex user interfaces (cough cough, GNU emacs). I think that we 
agree that the real art and challenge in this business it to balance the 
two extremes so that users do not feel overwhelmed by the user interface 
but still are able to use it for the tasks that the software was 
designed for.

> Of course, what I'm describing is the 80% case. So I'm not opposed to 
> an adjustable splitter in principle, it's just something that needs to 
> come in a package with a couple of other UI elements.
This is just an idea and like all ideas it requires thought before 
implementation. An alternative solution to the problem that I ran into 
would be to use tool tips to show the full collection name when it is 
not able to fit the sidebar. And I am sure that other solutions can be 
found when given some though.

Cheers,
    Markku