Team Blog

17 Comments

• Vaughn Reid said on Feb 5, 2009 12:16 PM:

  One of the great strengths of OpenOffice has been that it utilizes block level formatting to great effect, much like Lotus Approach, Old school Word Perfect, etc. This allows for better document design, reduced files sizes, less file corruption, and better translation to different file formats.
  
  I think that the Symphoy layout that de-emphasizes the great support for block level formatting that the underlying OpenOffice code has is a real dis-service to power users. I understand this is an attempt to make MS Office converts more comfortable, but I would like to see styles easier to use in Symphony because this is one of the great strengths of the underlying OpenOffice functionality.
  

• Eduardo Passeto said on Feb 6, 2009 6:21 AM:

  Well... I like actual Paragraph Properties Panel.
  
  I know that it is a foul suggestion, but: "is it possible to create two forking panel design sets, one for MS Office 'refugees', other for main IBM applications users?".
  
  For example, I don´t like Word 2007 tools set. Another day I was working on W-2007 and wished: "if is there a simple commutator that shows me the classical tools set..."
  

• Jan Latzko said on Feb 7, 2009 7:12 AM:

  I like the new one better, it's smaller (d'uh) and yet offers the same options. Users will probably need some time to adapt to the change, but I believe in the end it allows faster selection, thus better workflow.
  
  Regards, J
  

• Bryan Jacobson said on Feb 9, 2009 3:31 PM:

  I like the potential redesign because the graphic representation makes it easier to understand what the parameter does. So I think it would be quicker and easier to use.
  
  I think the redesign would be even a bit better if it were expanded to also include the phrases "spacing above text" and "spacing below text". Otherwise, the graphics might be hard to understand.
  

• Al White said on Feb 10, 2009 4:12 PM:

  I am familiar with the icons for alignment, but got lost with the icons for space before and space after. So my vote is to use the top half of the new and the bottom half of the old.
  
  On the other hand, I cannot see hover text on a static Web page - if those icons have hover labels, then go with the new design.
  

• Udo said on Feb 11, 2009 4:12 PM:

  The description of functions with the help of icons makes the training easier and creates space for additional functions.
  
  The potential redesign would be even more clear if the icons were arranged in groups. (Font, Alignment, Indents and Spacing ... ).
  
  The concept to show additional functions in the dialog box „All Paragraph Properties“, should be maintained. Many functions can be arranged in the tabs more clear. In other programmes the sidebar panels are often overloaded with to many functions. But the dialog box should have an „Apply“ button. It is annoying always to have to press the OK button to be able to see the changes.
  

• mike said on Feb 13, 2009 3:36 AM:

  I use numbered headings, paragraphs as well as outlining in general as a process a lot and would value greater integration of number/bullet editing into the paragraph process, including function key assignment to styles of paragraphs.
  
  Not sure if these comments fit with what you are doing in this specific case, but do like the new look better. The real problem with leading is most folk probably need to see the changes, rather than calculate them. Why not just show a line in the chosen font, and then show how space above/below adjusts up/down as you add/remove white space in some increment of the chosen font -- would probably produce cleaner text, too.
  

• Udo said on Feb 13, 2009 3:31 PM:

  unfavorable (current properties sidebar panel)
  
  - if all groups (Font, Alignment, Indents and Spacing) are expanded, i have to scroll through the sidebar panel to see all functions.
  
  - to have to click a + button to see the group „indents and spacing“; all essential functions should be visible immediately
  
  - the switch between the properties sidebar panels via a list field; the switch with buttons would be much better.
  
  favorable (potential redesign):
  
  - the new symbols are easy to understand; the meaning of the functions can therefore be grasped faster
  

• Ted said on Feb 15, 2009 3:13 AM:

  For my vote, I'd prefer function descriptions rather than icons. I really don't see anything wrong with the current offering
  

• Stephen said on Feb 18, 2009 10:45 AM:

  It is important the style name and selector be added to the panel: this is, or should be, the main attribute of a paragraph. With it missing from the panel users are drawn into changing the appearance using font changes, etc., when they should really be changing the style.
  

• Ben said on Feb 23, 2009 4:50 PM:

  I think the proposal for the new panel is efficient because it is compact. The meaning of the icons is clear to me - no text required. More like is needed to eliminate archaic dialog boxes.
  

• Adny Robbins said on Feb 25, 2009 10:37 AM:

  I prefer the current text descriptions in side-bar over uncluttered icons, as the latter create more confusions for training or knowledge exchanging.
  
  I'd like to see paragraph styles there as well.
  

• ausGeoff said on Feb 26, 2009 6:32 PM:

  Much prefer the proposed new properties panel.
  
  I use text alignment most frequently.
  
  I use space above/below text very infrequently.
  
  Current properties panel visible as needed.
  
  Current panel too big and untidy looking.
  
  Proposed panel is smaller, neater, and uses graphics effectively. Given that one only needs to learn what the symbols represent once, I don't foresee any ongoing confusion re what they mean initially. At any rate, I could figure them out without too much brain strain LOL.
  

• Seval UZUNAL said on Mar 4, 2009 8:59 AM:

  Potential Redesign of paragraph and text properties is much better!
  
  Keep using icon.
  
  Abolish "soviet-design- (Thanks Eduardo)" All-Properties window. It really takes much time clicking, Avanced/More/ All whatsoever, properties box, change object's properties and click OK to apply."Dynamic" Properties box(like in SmartSuite) is always open and immediately applies changes on selected object. Symphony 1.2's properties sidebar does work in same manner but limited. Either fully develope sidebar by including all properties or add dynamic much small iconed properties window.
  
  In Symphony SpreadSheet, pls add cell border in sidebar/ toolbars. Many people use cell border. Border is much intuitive than filling color.
  

• kinimod said on Mar 7, 2009 2:37 PM:

  when i'm discovering new SW, i like very much if something explicit it itself-or is easy to learn-clear to understand-good structured-nice overview.
  
  the new redesign is smaller and nicer, but there exists already a lot of icons in all these applications. (smartphone, mp3, migrosoft, koffice, Lotus, OOo, mokilla, koogle, akrokat, kimp, konki, kabakuk, usw.)
  
  Everywhere we meet piktograms, symbols, icon and graphics in life, we are nearly slave of them (airport, road, underground, kitchen)
  
  when the mouse move over the icon, a short text who appears, is often vely useful
  

• Moochman said on Mar 15, 2009 10:49 PM:

  In the new design, the justification icons and the line spacing icon (single, double, etc) are self-explanatory and relatively well-known from the MS Word world. The indent and spacing before/after icons, however, are too unfamiliar and abstract, and will ultimately be a source of frustration for most users. For those options I'd keep the text, or go for icons with text.
  

• Bob said on Apr 21, 2009 12:03 PM:

  Same comments I made re text properties...
  
  Why can't this be a toolbar along the top? and context-sensitive? I'm losing a lot of screen real estate, especially when user has other plugins (and therefore a sidebar panel already), or when using Symphony within Notes 8. OO.org 3.x gives user great flexibility in terms of what buttons to show in toolbars, reorganize and rename buttons, etc.
  

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