Author: Vincent Vega
Date: 21:38:38 02/14/00
Go up one level in this thread
On February 14, 2000 at 20:45:26, Albert Silver wrote: >>HTML help is used > >HTML help is used _also_ you mean. You can set this in Tools --> Options --> >Design. The only reason for using HTML Help over WinHelp is to use many extra features that IE provides. Unfortunately, it seems that none of them are utilized, which makes it a bad choice (more disk space is used, bigger possibility of problems). Another reason why it's bad is that doing context-sensitive help is somewhat harder and they haven't done it. >>(requiring users to install IE, when some may not want to) >>and >>none of its extra features are utilized, no context-sensitive help – >>unbelievable omission, toolbars can only be moved around by clicking on what in >>other programs is a sizing bar – doesn’t make sense, > >Since I didn't see how one could actually move them around (meaning change their >order of appearance), this seemed to me to be only that: resizing the space. Most toolbars in other programs can be put anywhere and also scaled, for example instead of having 6 buttons in a row, I could have 2 rows of 3 buttons. >> toolbars cannot be >>undocked, toolbars can only be docked to the top frame, > >True, but not a big issue IMO. NB, the replay arrows can be move to right below >the board through the right-click Board Design menu. None of these alone is really any big, but together they are important. > >>standard menu bar name >>is Window_s_, not Window, > >Correct. > >> mouse cursor should be changed to hourglass when a >>lengthy operation is performed – hint for example, > >I agree. > >> analog clocks are very ugly – antialiasing anyone?, > >Agreed, but I prefer the digital in any case for a more immediate appraisal of >the time situation. > >> why are there scroll bars in engine output window when >>there is nothing there – contrary to every style guide, > >I agree. > >>chessboard window takes >>way to long to redraw, > >I had no troubles with the speed of the chessboard, unless you are referring to >the speed the pieces are moved by the computer. That can be changed with the >animation speed in the Board Design window. Resize the main window. On my computer it takes over a second to redraw the chessboard. This is important because fast redraw provides instant feedback and you know if you want to leave it as it is or maybe you need to continue resizing because let's say the pieces are too small. Other programs realize that, see how fast IE redraws even though its layout engine is much more complex. 3D board is worse. Not only redrawing is slower, but also changing the eye position and the orientation is extremely clumsy. >>why can I drag a piece I can’t move?, > >Maybe this will help players learn the moves. As it doesn't actually accept >illegal moves, this seems to be unimportant to me. Note that the beep is made when you release the piece that has nowhere to go (like a rook in the starting position). If it were made earlier, that fact would be obvious. > >> why can’t I change time by clicking on the clock?, > >Nice idea. > >>time controls are very weak – can you even set separate time controls?, > >Yes, I agree. Lots of default options, but it isn't very customizable. > >>time per move window doesn’t even say that it’s seconds and is unable to >convert minutes, > >Yes. > >> database window is _made_ for a tree view instead an antiquated >>DOS-like window is used, why no drag-and-drop of pieces in 3D?, why such a slow >>performance in 3D?, why no mouse-based 3D view controls?, when inputting >>keyboard moves board squares should obviously be highlighted, no tooltips on >>toolbars in engine match, undo, redo, find, copy, and paste keys all go against >>Windows standards, why is Position Setup in File -> New?, having to scroll the >>list boxes when not necessary – for example in Board Design window, > >Agreed, except the last. What do you mean by scrolling when not necessary? Go to the Board Design. Click on "Color Schemes." A list of choices pops up. Is there a choice for a user bitmap? To find out you have to scroll down. Now you don't see the first ones. If that pop-down window was a bit bigger, you wouldn't have to - it's a trivial change in the program. >> Proportion >>and other sliders in Board Design need some points of reference or instant >>feedback, right-clicking on the board brings up Board Design instead of a >>standard Win 9X pop-up menu, > >This is more of a feature than an issue IMO. Note that right-clicking on other panes, like engine output pane, does bring up the pop-up window. Wouldn't it be logical for the user to assume that right-clicking on the chessboard would do the same? It's inconsistent and contributes to a user's lack of trust in the program. >> when time runs out a window that pops up gives a >>message that says: “Time” – nothing about who won, > >Look at the notation window. Doesn't work. What if my notation pane is turned off? Even if it was on, it could be scrolled up, or openings book could be on. Again, this message box is trivial to fix. >> next to mutually exclusive >>menu choices (like 2D Board and 3D Board) should be a radio buttons, not >>checkmarks, why does clicking on an empty square change cursor to a hand? – >>doesn’t make sense, > >It's an error, but different than what you think. Change the default >single-clicking in Tools/Options/Game from none to Normal. Now when it's your >move, try clicking on an empty square where only one of your pieces may go. >Start a game and just click on the e4 square. The hand still doesn't make sense when single-click is off. And square highlighting should be used when it's on. >>why can I drag a piece of the wrong side?, > >Same idea as above, only this time try playing 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 whatever. Now grab >the Black pawn and drag it to the knight and drop it to see what happens. So why does dragging wrong piece is still possible when single-click is off? It shouldn't be. And I find the idea of dragging the piece you want to capture on the piece that captures it to be doubtful. It encourages bad habits for the real-life game and is very unintuitive. >> why aren’t >>keyboard shortcuts set to a consistent scheme? (to get a new opening book >>Ctrl+Alt+Shift+F11 – a joke), I can move around all the windows except the board >>window – why?, overuse of multiple level menus when they are badly done in >>Windows (require too much mouse precision), > >Could you be more specific. I'm not sure I undersatnd what you mean here. Try to select Big Notation from Window -> Standard Layouts menu. What you'll have to do is move the mouse cursor over the Standard Layouts choice in the menu first, and then you'll have to move the mouse cursor _exactly to the right_ to get to the submenu. There is no room for error up or down when moving the mouse to the right or the submenu will disappear. Clicking won't help. This can be extremely frustrating for the novice user or even for somebody that has a not-so-good mouse or a trackball. This is a Windows problem, but it is well known, so overuse of submenus is discouraged. Fritz has nine such submenus. >Hardly perfect, I'll grant you, but I don't see it as the tragedy you make it >out to be. Certainly there is room for improvement, but as this isn't a giant >corporation, I don't think you can blame them. They have done a great job in >improving the interface over the last one, and I expect this one will also >improve with time. I certainly wouldn't balk at buying it based on the UI >though. You mentioned style guides somewhere above. I'm curious, what would you >recommend and which ones are to be avoided? > > Albert Silver No, it's not a tragedy but many small problems add up quickly to make the UI average at best. Comparing to other chess programs, it is good, but comparing to programs is other fields it's below average. I assume that you use chess programs more often than an average computer user and this can skew your perception. When I got Rebel last year it was still using DOS (causing me many problems because it wouldn't show up right on my video card). I know of no consumer programs in other fields that had DOS versions in 1999.
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