GNOME Bugzilla – Bug 547112
Vertical and Horizontal layout options reversed
Last modified: 2008-08-16 18:41:12 UTC
Please describe the problem: When I select Vertical layout, the layout becomes Horizontal. When I select Horizontal layout, the layout becomes Vertical. Steps to reproduce: 1. View -> Select either Horizontal or Vertical layout 2. 3. Actual results: Expected results: When I select Vertical layout, the layout should become Vertical When I select Horizontal layout, the layout should become Horizontal. Does this happen every time? Yes. Other information:
Thanks for the bug report. Everything depends on what you call a vertical layout. In my mind, vertical layout means that both part are organized vertically, one above the other which gives them more space horizontally. Likewise for horizontal layout. Is that what you see? Vertical Layout SIDEPANE ---- PROJECT Horizontal Layout SIDEPANE|PROJECT If not, that's indeed a bug.
That is indeed what I see. However, I am not really sure if we have identical understanding of what is horizontal and what is vertical. This is a horizontal line ------------- This is a vertical line | | | | So in your opinion the vertical layout is vertical, but it is actually horizontal and vice versa. You even use the same visuals to show me the layouts graphically ( "|" and "-"), but as you see, they are reversed. "vertical layout means that both part are organized vertically, one above the other" - isn't one above the other called "horizontal"? I don't want to sound patronizing or anything, but one of us is looking at the screen at a 90-degree tilted angle.
=). As you said we see things differently. I'll try to be a bit clearer: the screen is divided in two widgets, sidepane and project; what I call: - horizontal layout is when those two widgets are organised horizontally (on the same line) and therefore divided by a vertical separator - vertical layout is when those two widgets are organised vertically (in the same column) and therefore divided by a horizontal separator. As I said for me horizontal and vertical define how these widgets are organised either on a line (they spread vertically) or in a column (they spread horizontally). Now, if you really think that this is not the way it should be I don't really mind swapping the two strings.
I had to read through your comment a few times and switch the views a few times to finally get what you're saying. This approach is just... well, "weird" comes to mind, but I think you're taking the developer's point of view instead of user's. Users don't care about widgets, if they select horizontal, they want a horizontal separator, if they select vertical, they want a vertical separator. Your approach is counter-intuitive Philippe. Obviously this is just my opinion, but the plain fact I was surprised by this UI behaviour (I was seriously thinking I've screwed up the translation, translating brasero since early bonfire times) serves as evidence that it just might be wrong. I'm no usability expert, but I like to think that I know a thing or two :]
By the way, you should consider fixing the documentation before 0.8.2, there's a bug about it. And to give you something else to think about... if you switch views, the "sidepane" is no longer a sidepane, thus being a bit of a misnomer. Maybe just rename it to "Panel".
OK, I reversed my views ;) and committed the change to SVN trunk. I guess you're right; the layout is more about the separator than the widget packing. I don't think that documentation will be fixed unfortunately since the guys in charge of it won't have time to fix it. Maybe for 0.8.3 ...?