[Pkg-mc-devel] Bug#484890: mc: 'Find File' box layout vague; which options apply to which fields?

[A. Costa]

On Sun, 8 Jun 2008 16:49:43 +0200
Michelle Konzack <linux4michelle at tamay-dogan.net> wrote:

> Why do you think, are
> 
> >  | Filename: BASH__________________________ [^] | 
> >  |           [x] Find recursively               | 
> 
> and
> 
> >  | Content:  ______________________________ [^] | 
> >  |           [ ] case Sensitive                 | 
> >  |           [x] Regular expression             | 
> 
> separated?

Usability researchers advise that users scan an interface, (they don't
"read" it), hunting for what's needed given limited time. Users muddle
through, or "satisfice". (q.v. Steve Krug's "Don't Make Me Think", et
al)

Suppose that separating checkboxes with a fill-in-blank denotes
incompatibility.  The first two fill-ins are:

		 | Start at: /bin/_________________________ [^] | 
		 |                                              | 
		 | Filename: BASH__________________________ [^] | 
		 |           [x] Find recursively               | 

But "Find recursively" complements both the 'Start at' and 'Filename'
fields, though separated.  (The verb 'find' applies to the 'Filename',
and 'recursively' applies to directories, or 'Start at'.)

This would be less vague, but looks ugly:

	 +----------------------- Find File ------------------+ 
	 |                                                    | 
	 |     Start at: /bin/_________________________ [^]   | 
	 |                                                    | 
	 |     Filename: BASH__________________________ [^]   | 
	 |               [x] Find recursively                 | 
	 |                                                    | 
	 |  +-----------------------------------------------+ |
	 |  |  Content:  ______________________________ [^] | |
	 |  |            [ ] case Sensitive                 | |
	 |  |            [x] Regular expression             | |
	 |  +-----------------------------------------------+ |
	 |                                                    | 
	 |   [< OK >]  [ Tree ]                [ Cancel ]     | 
	 +----------------------------------------------------+ 

...maybe there's some better way.

I'm not a new user and am credited in the 2003 'mc' changelog.  Though
I've no means of measuring statistically how many users have been
confused by this particular layout, it's plausible that if it confuses
one longtime 'mc' fan, then it'll confuse others.

> Maybe they could be a second "case Sensitive" checkbox
> for the "Filename:" which would be usefull.

Are two "case Sensitive" checkboxes worth the screen real estate, (four
states: 00,01,10,11), versus one checkbox that could be made to apply
to both (two states: 0,1)?  The {01,10} states might be needed less
often.

HTH...