Comments on: gpk-log crap UI

By: Rob J. Caskey

Rob J. Caskey — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:14:17 +0000

Thoughts:

* I’d really like to be able to see a per-package history by clicking on the package names and then be able to initiate a rollback of that package along with the required changes.
* Horizontal scrolling is ebil, use an expander widget, ellipses, grow rows vertically, anything.
* Can we include time as part of the heading for days that have multiple installation events?
* The vertical scroll-bar is already a time-line, no need to complicate.
* I’d like user-readable names instead of package names, even though they are longer (as we can see even the package names are already too long).
* We know deep down in our hearts that a search widget belongs here that will search by user visible description, actual package name, etc!

By: Technical Blog of Richard Hughes » Blog Archive » gpk-log improvements

Technical Blog of Richard Hughes » Blog Archive » gpk-log improvements — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:44:01 +0000

[…] to the old log viewer, I think this one is much […]

By: Remm

Remm — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 13:43:01 +0000

Well, I wish the pup/pirut folks had the same dedication towards producing good UIs. I think this history UI addition is very useful, and nice enough as is.

By: Nils Philippsen

Nils Philippsen — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 07:50:40 +0000

I’ve two suggestions:

1) Don’t put individual package updates and system updates on the same level, e.g. use a (by default unexpanded) tree where the system updates are on the first level and the package updates they comprise on a second level.

2) Avoid “anonymous” package update entries, I’m surely not going to click on dozens of equally looking “Updated package” entries to find the one I’m interested in.

By: Nils Philippsen

Nils Philippsen — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 07:43:45 +0000

Well, an package updated is surely a part if a system having been updated, so maybe a light-weight tree is helpful, i.e. system updates at the root and package updates on the next level. I’d also find it helpful if the list contained what package was updated — dozens of entries all looking alike aren’t really inviting. I won’t click on all of them to find out what was being updated ;-).

By: jtin

jtin — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 03:11:42 +0000

Use a single tree view instead of two lists?

By: reinouts

reinouts — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 22:45:32 +0000

Thought about a timeline widget?

By: triton

triton — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:09:31 +0000

The icons are TOO big!

By: adamc

adamc — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 18:00:39 +0000

I would put the package name next to the updated text, like this:
“Updated package glib2-debuginfo”

Also, I would hide the details using a GtkExpander (I think thats what its called, the one that can be hidden with a little triangle widget to show/hide).

This would leave the important information always viewable, what was updated and when, with more information like the version hidden from view but easily accessible.

You could also consider putting the version number in the main update text as well like this:
“Updated package glib2-debuginfo to 2.16.3-3-fc9″

By: mpt

mpt — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:26:19 +0000

Low level:
* Imitate Epiphany’s History window. Get rid of the “Help” and “Close” buttons (perhaps have a menu bar instead), and get rid of the padding between the lists and the edges of the window.
* Figure out what’s causing the bottom list to have a horizontal scrollbar, and fix it.

Medium level:
* What are you trying to show here? I can’t tell. If this is a history of past updates, why isn’t there a Date column?
* What do the new-page icons mean?
* Would it make more sense to arrange the lists horizontally?
* Would it make more sense to have one list with expandable sections?

Toolkit/Theme level:
* Persuade whoever’s responsible to stop putting a silly gap between a scrollbar and the list being scrolled.