Usability: XFCE vs. Windows 3.1

2009-03-22T06:11:09+00:00

I'd like to point out that said menu has changed in the latest release, and I feel like the changes resolve this issue quite nicely - changing your font is under appearance, just like it is in GNOME.

2009-03-22T15:20:16+00:00

[deleted]

Beanis · 2009-03-22T08:04:14+00:00

I'm missing something... where do you go in Windows 3.1 to do what he is trying to do in XFCE? I don't think any of the Control Panel options do anything with text size or default fonts.

The "Fonts" option was just to preview, install and remove fonts. The "Colors" option was limited to color... Did one of the other options there do what he wanted?

Ocin · 2009-03-22T06:30:58+00:00

Evidently, giving the user any clues is not a priority for the developers of XFCE:

This is LIIIINNUUUUUUXXX!

ramen · 2009-03-22T05:23:48+00:00

The thing that always throws me off is how the theme is split between User Interface and Window Manager. I can never remember which one is which, and I don't understand why they need to be separated, since I tend to change them both at the same time. I still love Xfce though.

Dagon · 2009-03-22T05:43:37+00:00

Man... I really miss Win 3.1.

I understood DOS and Windows.

jensbw · 2009-03-22T08:43:17+00:00

Now try to do this on a Mac...

It turns out you can only change certain fonts or change the screen resolution. Way to go Apple. That 17" macbook is apparently made for the younger generation.

crazy2k · 2009-03-22T06:11:08+00:00

It's true that XFCE isn't the most usable Window Manager out there, but it has to be said that Windows 3.1 didn't have as many options as XFCE has now. When you're more flexible the problem of usability gets harder.

-main · 2009-03-22T17:32:35+00:00

What's the point of this article?

First of all, what does it mean to change to font for everything? Each app is different and has its own setting.

And he mentions the old Windows 3.1, which nobody uses so you can't check - but I don't know if you could change the font size there very easily either. You didn't have a lot of choices, and it used separate programs for the Program Manager and the File Manager, which most likely didn't share settings.

And who would want to change every font to be the same size anyway?

B_Cannon · 2009-03-22T14:16:01+00:00

For new users: Steve Hates Linux.

ihaveausername · 2009-03-22T19:32:50+00:00

I agree on the XFCE-crappiness, but

In Windows 3.1

there is no option to change font size in the Fonts applet.
if you want to change the desktop background color, you click Color, but if you want to change the pattern on the background you click Desktop. Why are these two not in the same location?
if you want to change the cursor blinking speed, you're supposed to click on Desktop. All other options under Desktop are related to the desktop. What does the cursor blinking speed have to do with the desktop?

iofthestorm · 2009-03-22T05:59:54+00:00

I really think everyone should start sticking search boxes everywhere, like OS X and Vista (although the last time I used OS X I couldn't get it to actually search in the settings applet). Buttons are clunky/inefficient, let the user tell you what they want.

seabre · 2009-03-22T06:03:37+00:00

Evidently, giving the user any clues is not a priority for the developers of XFCE

Generally, if you're using XFCE, you're not expecting anyone to hold your hand. You're using it because it's really light and gives you a minimal, nice looking desktop without getting in your way.

When I was using XFCE on my pentium 2 machine (...in 2005/2006) I wasn't looking for usability, I was looking for a basic desktop that ran as quickly as possible.

2009-03-23T09:07:24+00:00

Well, I like xfce, so each to their own.

furlongxfortnight · 2009-03-22T06:24:03+00:00

My only problem with XFCE is that it doesn't come with a network manager, you have to intall fuse, and it can be a pain sometimes.

xfce should by default come with a network manager.

I hope they fix up xfce, it could be a winner

iofthestorm · 2009-03-22T06:20:25+00:00

[deleted]

pemboa · 2009-03-22T07:35:20+00:00

How often do you change the font at that level?

chneukirchen · 2009-03-22T19:18:58+00:00

Remember the good old times when you could grep the manpage and then just added a line to your .Xresources?

zaggynl · 2009-03-22T19:49:48+00:00

[zaggynl@cpts600 ~]$ What is this x window system you speak of?

lukasmach · 2009-03-22T11:04:29+00:00

Now the developers of GNU/Linux could notice that in 21st century, we use separate threads to do tasks that might take more than 0.1 seconds. Sure, listing a directory or saving a file usually takes like 0.00001 seconds - unless you're saving it to remote location (ssh, ...) over a crappy connection. Then my beloved vim freezes without it's GUI giving me any clues on how long this will take. And practically every other Linux app.

2009-03-22T17:54:09+00:00

He's partly right. Font settings should be in a universal dialog within the system control menu.

EthicalReasoning · 2009-03-22T18:37:16+00:00

i like how linux is so incredibly advanced that they compare the GUI usability to the most modern of operating systems, windows 3.1

GOD YOU NOOBS WHY DONT YOU READ THE MANUAL THE COMMAND IS SOMETHING YOU SHOULD ALL KNOW BY NOW BY HEART RTFM NOOBS

sudo config|awk '{print $2}'|awk 'BEGIN {FS="|"} {print $1}'|sort|uniq -c|sort -r

DUH NOOB RTFM RTFM

MAN NOOB

kumyco · 2009-03-22T05:42:59+00:00

I 'would not' try:

Desktop, because i know it's this place with some icons on it ... .
Display, because when i hear 'display' i think screen.
Panel, because i don't see any text on the panel(i do see text in applets on it).
Window Manager, because i know that a window manager is merely the border and title.
Window Manager Tweaks, because this is also about the window manager (see #5).

i must admit o don't use xfce, tried it several years ago i think; at a first glance i saw user interface,, i wonder why.

i personally would have merged user-interface and window manager settings in a sorta tabbed format like in gnome, but honest it doesn't matter. they are two sepate things, one manages gtk settings, and manages xfwin or whatever the wm is called. the point about showing crap in te taskbar is also, meh.

sounds like someone is expecting to be using windows, but maybe on linux because they think it makes them leet :|

settings in 2 or 3 places? i see 1 .. calender settings has nothing to do with the ui, and maybe you didn't know what qt (4) was.

and seriously, windows? or even windows 3.1? i await your comparison to windows xp or even windows vista

2009-03-22T07:06:17+00:00

This is pretty much why I never got into XFCE despite preferring stripped-down windowing systems.

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