Mailinglist Archive: opensuse-ux (89 mails)

[Johannes Meixner <jsmeix@xxxxxxx>]

Hello,

I have a general question if there exist solutions how to
show semantics regarding user input via UI.

I know how to show syntax regarding user input via UI, e.g.:
- show several checkboxes for several binary (on/off) values
  which can be set "on" or "off" independent of each other
- show radio buttons for several binary (on/off) values
  where only one of them can be "on"
- show a list of predefined values if only this values
  are correct input
- show a text input field for an arbitrary input value

I don't know how to show semantics regarding user input via UI.
Example:
a) for one kind of input values the user is free to choose
   what he likes because any choice would work
b) for other kind of input values the user is not free to choose
   what he likes because only the right choice would work

Is there a solution how to show this kind of semantics regarding
user input via the UI?


Simple real-world examples are:

1) Password input:
A password is an arbitrary input value so that a
text input field is shown in the UI.
But the semantics is different if
- a new password is to be set => case a) above
- the system asks the user for his password => case b) above

2) Printer specific option settings:
Specify the printing resolution versus specify the media size:
Both values can be choosen from a list of possible values e.g.
Resolution: 300dpi, 600dpi, 1200dpi
            (the supported resolutions of the printer driver)
Media Size: A4, A5, Letter, Legal
            (the supported media sizes of the printer driver)
The syntax is the same for resolution and media size
but the semantics is different because
- any choice of the resolution works => case a) above
- only the media size which is actually in the printer works
  => case b) above


You might think that this is no UX/UI problem at all because
it is obvious for any normal user if the semantics is of
type a) or b).
This is true for my simple examples above but in general
it isn't, see this snippet from a mail:
--------------------------------------------------------------
> > Why did you acitvate the filtering when you want to set up
> > a raw queue? Filtering is exactly the opposite of "raw".
... 
> Reading this setting in the YAST module, I thought it was
> more a choice: do you want the filtering done on the
> server side or on the client side.

It is a choice but it is not a choice where you are free
to select whatever you like - it is a choice where you must
choose the right setting which works in your particular
environment.
--------------------------------------------------------------

In the YaST printer config we have two checkboxes
  [ ] Share Printer
  [ ] Do Local Filtering
where the first one is of type a) but the second one is type b)
but there is nothing in the UI which indicates this difference
and this difference is no longer obvious to any normal user.


Kind Regards
Johannes Meixner
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