[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Chad Smith wrote: > Two things here - I understand OOo is a unique program and isn't
striving to be like everybody else. I also understand that any hint of OOo being a "MS Office clone" is a capital offense. However when every program on earth does something the same way - there is likely a good reason. I'm not saying it should be accepted blindly, but it is at least something to look into.
This, IMO, was accepted without a whole lot of thought put into it. :(
I've seen you and maybe one other person who claim to miss this "feature". I don't think it is widely desired. I mean, how hard is it to remember you were on page 15 or even page 147?
Everyone program I've every used (and I have over 15 word processors or office suites that I play with and test) starts the cursor at the top of the document whenever you open it. That's normal. That's standard. That's what people expect.
Then I guess those of us who use OOo and expect it to return where we left it are screwed.
Pretty much, yes. Although I'd change it to "Those of us who use OOo and want it to return to where we left are screwed". I use OOo and want it to return to the top. In every choice in design for a given program, some will enjoy it, some will - in your words get screwed. I think we should try to screw the least number of people. And removing - YES "removing"- some options - actually a heck of a lot of options - will help more people than it screws. I'm for the Firefox model all the way!
If I opened a document and it jumped to the 3rd word in the 4th sentence of the 2nd paragraph on page 157 of chapter 6 - I'd be a little concerned. I'd think it was a bug - like it didn't shut down properly or something.
This makes sense, I guess, if you are receiving a doc from a friend or something, but if you are editing it yourself and want to go back to where you left, wouldn't it be nice to be returned there?
No, not really. I mean, I tend to try to finish up a thought before I save and quit. So, when I come back, I usually have a pretty good idea of where I was, and then just scroll down, or page down, to the area, and start where it looks most familiar. I try to make it easy on myself by at least finishing off a paragraph, if not a page or section, so coming back isn't that big a deal.
Now, on to point two....
OpenOffice has about 500 preferences last time I counted them very roughly. *Anything* that reduces preferences is a good thing.
AMEN!
Functionality and choices is great - but when it gets in the way of simply getting the job done - it's time to cut back. This was a useless option that very few people knew existed and even fewer used. I'm glad to get one more option *OFF* the list.
Not useless.
It helps get the job done for editing big docs.
Again, I just remember where I was. If I can't tell by reading something in the general area where I have edited and where I haven't - putting a cursor at the last place I was isn't going to help. I mean, what if the last thing I did was scroll down to see how much I had left in the section? My cursor would be there - not where I left off editing. Even with this supposed "feature" I would still have to remember where I was. I really think this thing is not nearly as important as you think it is. Maybe it is to you - but you are one user out of several million. Most users - from what I can tell - would prefer to have to start at the top. And I base that on this thread being basically a one-man crusade, and on the fact that every other program I've ever used starts me at the top. If everybody else is doing it, there is probably a reason, and the reason is, that's what people expect, and that's what they want. If one or two people get screwed by that, I'm sorry, but choices must be made, and this one obviously has.
Amen again. OOo should meet user needs - not cause user problems. I understand that with any program there will be a learning curve, but there is no need to make the curve any more steep than it has to be. Putting some "Ugly" file extension in the title bar is perfectly fine. Especially if the user has more than one file with the same name. I mean, what if you have an RTF file, an OOT file, and a DOC file all named Resume.XXX - If you are editing one for a particular reason, it might make sense to know - at a glance - which one you've got open.
Then you should have a choice. Or use the url bar that was standard in 1.1.x and is an option in 2.0. It is the little bar next to the New button that lists the file name.
You can also open recent docs from it.
OOo has way too many choices already. Look at Firefox, Mozilla's been around for years, and it can do a lot more than Firefox, but it wasn't until Ff came out, with its cleaner interface *AND* far few options that people sat up and took notice. We have people on the list that are constantly harping on elegance of design and getting more with less - this is one example where the programmers of OOo are setting out to do that, and I am completely behind them 100%!
BTW, I used OOo for a *long* time before I knew what the URL bar *was* much less how to use it. I'm glad it's gone. I wish they hadn't have left it as an option, because that's just one more pointless check-box in the dialog menus....
-Chad Smith
--------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
