Here is the list of improvements I would like to see in a future (after
release) iteration. Some of them may have bugs already, others may not. I
would like to get some feedback before making bugs reports. I hope also that
we get more priority to make the core product great to use instead of the old-
classic "add a module to configure foobar" (which is something ISVs should
better do)
*) System services:
* collectd working... (running) start stop status
* cron working... (running) start stop status
* dbus working... (running) start stop status
...
...
Isn't that too much to read?
- I suggest to use a small icon to show if running or not), may be a slightly
animated heartbeat (soft to the eyes).
- Start and stop do not need to be separated, you can't have stop if it is not
started, they can use the same state (toggle) so the text switches to stop
after you start.
- I did not understand the "status" link, for me it looks more than a
"refresh" of the "running" text. This can be done by either having just one
refresh link for all, or just poll the server for changes using ajax.
*) Registration
The text "regcode-sles". IIRC this is a limitation of the current stack
because this text comes from suseRegister. So it can be fixed in the future
and now is a known limitation and not a usability bug.
*) Time
The two comboboxes could be replaced with an interactive worldmap + a textbox
to freewrite with autocompletion so you can either use mouse or keyboard. The
textbox can also not be present at all.
Also, I think for entering the date we should have a calendar input. We had
one, but I see it is not longer there.
*) Network
A common problem of system managements applications is to accidentally expose
the configuration file format :-) an example:
Name servers : [_____________________]
What I am suppose to enter there? It asks with plural, there is a single
field. What is "prefixlen"?
Also, I think this is reported, if you click next, settings are saved, if you
are using DHCP your ip changes and^^^NO CARRIER
Another issue that may apply to other modules too is to make the difference
between the value that is retrieved from a textfield, to the value that is
displayed when it is empty. The user may not know the meaning of an empty
field. For example if using DHCP one could fill the nameservers field with
"Will be auto discovered". This is also valid for fields that are not
disabled, where a text for the empty state helps the user to make a meaning of
the text being empty
*) Mail settings
If security is disabled, then username/password should be disabled. If the
server is not configured, then even the security checkbox can be disabled too.
*) Administrator password
The 3 save buttons is confusing. IIRC kkaempf already reported this. It is
confusing because this module has the ability of doing instant apply before
clicking next, while network saves at "next" clicking time.
"Forward mail to", what goes there? an email address? How the user guess that?
he needs to think, which is what we want to avoid. Here it may useful to enter
an example greyed text that dissapears when focus is on the field (the field
value still could evaluate to empty)
*) General
- Maintainer easter-egg
I have asked 150 times in irc "who is doing the X module?", therefore I
suggest a easter egg keyboard shortcut that once pressed a hidden <div> at the
bottom emerges, with a gravatar and name/login of the maintainer/s :-) plus a
report bug link
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