[wp-hackers] has anyone looked at making Edit panels 'simpler'for novices?

[Roy Schestowitz]

___/ On Thu 29 Jun 2006 05:32:18 BST, [ David Chait ] wrote : \___

> Actually, the point was to look at the 'blocks' on the edit panel as if they
> were plugins, or widgets might be a better analogy.  Somewhere to turn them
> on and off at a master level, plus somewhere to set how they lay out
> (globally, for all users, the default state -- and not per-user cookie or
> something...).


Interesting. Before reading the paragraph in its entirety, I
was  about to say that you cannot treat mandatory fields  as
'plugs'.  I  am  now  thinking  along  the  lines  of  "hide
categories  from users", at least until they deem  necessary
(expansion  of  site,  as  well as  skills).  It  makes  the
learning  curve more staged, cumulative as new elements  are
introduced  gradually,  as soon as the user is prepared  for
them.


> People don't need some of those things around.  Setting up more 'CMS' like
> sites for other users/companies finds a need for eliminating all non-needed
> interfaces, possibly rearranging the rest, including leaving things open
> (excerpt at the bottom is a pain, just as example).


The Apple/Windows approach would say that this leads to lack
of  uniformity.  Excessive  extensibility  (e.g.  KDE  as  a
toolbox  rather  than a window manager) could, in due  time,
make maintenance and support harder.


> As WP gets adopted by more site designers/builders for projects, handing the
> site off to truly novice users means the interface has to get much more
> streamlined, more stuff can be easily disabled (for 'lower' users) and
> hidden, etc.


I tend to agree at this stage.


> Again, just IMHO.
>
> -d
>
> [deletia /]


Best wishes,

Roy

-- 
Roy S. Schestowitz
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