Re: [Inkscape-devel] NEW: keyboard shortcuts for adobe illustrator and macromedia freehand + Low Hanging Fruit UI task + language task

On Fri, 25 Aug 2006, Ted Gould wrote: I think a feature ordinary users cannot find doesn't really exist, if you know what I mean. Putting it in the preferences dailog or in a seperate keybindings dialog of its own makes it more likely that users will be able to discover it. (GIMP does the former but the preferences dialog can be a little cramped. Both Macromedia and Adobe do the latter if I recall correctly and that alone is a big audience right there.) I did have concerns that providing these keyboard shortcuts would be used as an excuse for the default keybindings to stagnate. It is good to get users to try out the Inkscape defaults but let us not presume those keybindings are ideal. Many were keybindings were inherited from Sodipodi, others were compromises chosen from the keybindings not already taken for something else. ... but what is Inkscape, it is not a fixed target! Having these different set of keyboard shorcuts allows developers to be more objective about changing the default keybinding. The goal can be making the default keybindings as learnable, consistent, and sensible as possible. (The defaults are what beginners see, advanced users are the ones best able to switch to another set of keybindings.) Having these sets of keybindings alleviates the pressure to for the Inkscape defaults directly copy other software, or be held to ransom by the existing keybindings. I am hoping users will say they tried the Inkscape defaults but there were one or two keybindings they really missed or felt were awkward, or maybe tell us how another program provided a faster way to accomplish the same task so they did need a keybinding for it. I think GIMPShop is but one example showing that if it is possible sooner or later someone will probably try it, so it makes sense to accept patches so long as things do not become unmaintainable and bring in these contributors. Give the people what they want*. Sincerely Alan Horkan Inkscape http://inkscape.org Abiword http://www.abisource.com Open Clip Art http://OpenClipArt.org Alan's Diary http://advogato.org/person/AlanHorkan/ * I fully expect some witty counterpoint, preferably without invoking Godwins law.