[TYPO3-hci] The Constant Triptichon

[Alex Heizer]

Christopher wrote:
> Alex Heizer wrote:
>   
>> Christopher wrote:
>>     
>>> Alex Heizer wrote:
>>>       
>
> <big snip>
>
>   
>>> 1. A TSconfig option for switching to/from the standard 'column' 
>>> layout, and/or,
>>>
>>> 2. A checkbox (or other form control) that switches between standard 
>>> and FE-like views (provided a FE-like view is available) in the Page 
>>> module.
>>>   
>>>       
>> You can already do these things in the BE (even if it's not very well 
>> documented). Don't forget about Web->View for viewing the FE in the BE. 
>> The good thing about T3 is that it can do so much. My point is, since an 
>> individual can already customize their own installs the way you suggest, 
>> what would the benefit be to forcing this behavior on everyone in place 
>> of a BE that already has worked for years which allows thousands of 
>> existing editors to use existing documentation for? Since, in my 
>> experience the current BE is the preferred interface just the way it is, 
>> forcing a different BE on these users would be a step backwards as far 
>> as usability (they would choose the FE if they wanted it).
>>     
>
> Well I have not been trying to suggest that the BE should really be LIKE 
> the FE as such, only that there is definite value in a visual 
> resemblance between the 'columns' area and the FE. Unless I'm much 
> mistaken, this is /not/ possible at the moment--you can only re-label 
> existing columns and add new ones.
>
> Further, who said anything about 'forcing' anything? As for any other 
> customizable part of a UI, we need reasonable defaults. I see nothing 
> wrong with continuing with the existing mode in this respect.
>
> Regarding documentation, I rather suspect that you're underestimating 
> your users. 
> As I mentioned, a secret code is no secret if you provide 
> the key to the reader--in other words, a BE-ordered layout in the Page 
> module is unlikely to be confusing to /anyone/ if users have been told 
> that the order of items reflects what they see in the FE of the site.
>   
We're probably not going to agree on this point either. I suspect that 
you're overestimating your users and asking them to work to understand 
and intuit how to use the system based on concepts. For the end users it 
should be a clear 1-2-3-you're-done process for editing. Guessing how to 
use the system by reading newsgroups and searching Google and outdated 
manuals is one thing for developers who need the site to do one of a 
hundred different things. Knowing how and where to add a block of text 
should be a no-brainer for editors since the original purpose of TYPO3 
is to make it a no-brainer for editors to manage their content. When an 
editor opens the BE and their 1-2-3-you're-done documentation deviates 
from what they see on the screen, they get confused and call for help. 
This is especially true when editors have only basic computer skills and 
edit their site once a week or even less frequently.

The point is, any deviation of icon and menu item locations from the 
documentation is bad for usability, especially once the editors take 
over since many of them can have only basic computer skills. If the 
documentation doesn't clearly show the location of an item, for them the 
item doesn't exist and we can't expect them to go hunting for it. This 
will be increasingly important the more TYPO3 is adopted and less 
technical people use it, and no enterprise software asks its end users 
to hunt for its basic features.

Alex