Quote:
Originally Posted by dmcd
I did your little online exercise but have just realised that I made no mention in my comments on the web page, about the confusion caused by preferences that require coding being available on the same screen as the basic preferences.
Now I've only been using Calibre for a few weeks, so the things that I found/find confusing are fresh in my mind. In another month I'll be so familiar with it that I will not notice or remember the "new user" problems.
I'm no spring chicken and I couldn't even begin to programme anything as I'm sure my left brain has atrophied from lack of use.  I'm very much a right brain dominant person. What I also am though, is a computer literate, above average intelligence, user. Which does not make me the norm for an average Calibre user, yet I'm still often bogged down in confusion.
For example, the " Add Books" preferences waltz off into advanced stuff like manually coding Regular Expression  This stuff should be buried under an "Advanced" Tab, not wafted in basic user's faces. There are lots of similar examples and they should all be buried under Advanced buttons to cut down on the panic attacks.
Even if the coding options could be automated for Joe Average, they should still be nestled out of sight under an 'Advanced" options button. The whole box and dice laid open for instant scrutiny is what is causing the adverse comments from would-be users.
Joe Average wants to open it fresh out of the box with all the most useful options already enabled so that he doesn't have to learn anything, make choices or even think!
Thanks for your work and that of the other developers and plugin tweakers. Calibre is a terrific piece of software as it stands, but it could be even better if you cater to the lowest common denominator. Remember - humans are basically as thick as bricks. New stuff, right in their face, sends them into a spin. Just think about the average IQ score. Then think about the fact that 50% of the population have an IQ below that average. It's a sobering thought huh?
Dale
(For whom senile dementia is looming.) |
Unfortunately, that REGEX is near the front because it needs to be tweaked handle all variations of file naming people use.