Re: Design Documents

[Manoj Srivastava <srivasta@datasync.com>]

Hi,
>>"Behan" == Behan Webster <behanw@verisim.com> writes:

Behan> Manoj Srivastava wrote:
>>  I think I have come up with a suggestion for the user
>> interface. On the selection list pane, how about the following
>> columns:
>> del keep inst Package up/down/new Version Depends-On Conflicts Dependents

Behan> The peoblem is that there simply isn't enough room to do this
Behan> for the slang version. [...] The conflicts and depends info is
Behan> available from the info tab.

	I see. Maybe I've been getting tainted by all these new web
 browsers, but could it be possible to have all three column names on
 the top level, with only one expanded? or have three tabs with one on
 top? I think that the "depends on" (a.k.a. also install), "conficts",
 and "dependents" columns have equal wieght in package ordering, and
 this should be conveyed to the user.

	If possible, if any tab that contains information could be
 marked (made bold, underlined, colored red etc), and tabs with no
 information greyed out (if there are no conflicts, the conflicts tab
 is greyed out).

	Unfortunately, I do not know enough about the widget sets to
 know if this is feasible.

>> That way, a new package, if it conflicts with a package X, and we
>> want to install it, should mark X for removal.

Behan> I don't think I understand this.  You would show this all on
Behan> the same line? Please explain.

	Package A is installed. Package A conflicts with package B,
 which is not installed. The user is looking at package B. If it is
 immediately evident that there is a conflict with package A, and the
 user chooses package B, then we could mark package A for removal;
 since the user has implicitly approved removal of A. 

	If the fact that there is a conflict is not evident, then we
 have to go through a confirm pop up-- which may get annoying, if
 there are lots of them.

	manoj

-- 
 "Those who worked the hardest are the last to surrender." Gary Ward
Manoj Srivastava               <url:mailto:srivasta@acm.org>
Mobile, Alabama USA            <url:http://www.datasync.com/%7Esrivasta/>