Re: Customize buttons that change user's custom fileshouldaskforconfirmation

[Kim F. Storm]

Luc Teirlinck <address@hidden> writes:

> People can put in these Gnome style whole buffer buttons that Kim
> proposed.  That is OK, I do not care.
>
> But _why_ on earth does anybody want to _hide_ that small State button,
> that barely takes any space?  How can this _confuse_ people?  

Because having _both_ is confusing and dangerous.

If a user can change some options without saving then (browsing in
your terms), then saves some individual options, and later uses the
global save button, he will lose!

If there is only one way to set things, such confusion will not arise.

> The names "novice" and "expert" are used in a very incorrect way.  The
> difference we are talking about has _nothing_ to do with how long you
> have been using Emacs or Custom.

>
> The two kinds of users we are talking about are non-inquisitive users
> and inquisitive users.  Non-inquisitive users will just ignore he
> State button, like they ignore anything else they are not used to.
> They will remain novices forever.  Novices at Custom, novices at
> Emacs, novices at everything they use.  Inquisitive users will say
> "Wow, interesting!  That is something new!  I never saw this in other
> customization interfaces.  Let me try this out!."  Then they will play
> with it, and realize that this is a _much_ better interface than the
> Gnome one.  For instance, unlike the eternal novices, they will be
> able to undo mistakes by setting individual options to current or
> standard, which is often needed.  They will very quickly become
> experts, not only at using Custom, but at using Emacs.

I agree on the principle, but I don't see how setting one or more
options as a time hinders browsing.  Of course, it is a little more
cumbersome to actually set an option if the users has modified several
other options just to see what they have to offer -- but users will
be familiar with that from other applications...

Maybe the "Customize" menu could have a simple check-box option for
"Show per-option action buttons".  The inquisitive emacs user will
surely find it :-)   

I agree that if a user enabled this, the global buttons should not be
shown.