[MG] Difference bridge layout proposal

[Michael Allan]

Hi C, (C already showed me a preview and we discussed it briefly on
#votorola.)

There's lots to comment on.  I look at my dev priorities (1 usability,
2 attracting users and 3 scaling) and I guess this falls under 3; our
basic stage design allows the user to construct different combinations
of central scenes and peripheral tracks.  We can therefore accomodate
the preferences of any user which is one requirement of scaling.
http://zelea.com/project/votorola/_/javadoc/votorola/s/gwt/stage/StageV.html

You propose a new scene (horizontal difference bridge) to add to our
repetoire plus some modified track designs for the stage.  When we get
through alpha and beta, I suppose we'll have hundreds of scenes and
tracks for users to combine.  My own work is currently focused on the
minimum needed to get through alpha, but I don't want to discourage
you and others from exploring.

> Clarification problem (I have to skype with Mike): I am not yet sure
> how the left buttons in the xf toolbar are expected to behave, I
> have modelled them as toggle icons emphasizing which information is
> currently shown.

The white ones at top?  They are links.  I think I'll rename the top
track "LinkTrack".

> Problems:
> 1) Obviously there is a lot information. At least three dimensions
> are in there: Differences between two texts, Votespace and
> communication history. Not shown is the history of differences,
> which could be configured in another track. Some smart ideas to
> strip out more details without losing core information? Maybe we
> don't need votespace?

The simpler and more focused the scene, the better it will combine
with tracks and other scenes.  The more complex it becomes the more
likely it'll rub something (or someone) the wrong way.  I would strip
out unecessary details and move them to dedicated scenes or tracks.

Mike


conseo wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I have tried to make the horizontal difference bridge layout easier to 
> understand while adding all of Mike's information (1) except the poll track. 
> I'll take you through a short session on the bridge and explain my proposals 
> on the way:
> 
> 1) http://whiletaker.homeip.net/mockups/diffbridge/8/8a.xht
> Come to the bridge, e.g. by clicking on a link in a forum post/email. Poll 
> type and title is shown in the left caption. Poll id is in the right caption. 
> Some tracks are activated by default on the xf toolbar, here the progress 
> track and the communications feed track. I have created smilies for that. The 
> colouring of the xf toolbar matches identities on the bridge below and doesn't 
> interfere with the red tones used to separately colour differences. Difference 
> #3 has already been patched in a previous session.
> 
> 2) http://whiletaker.homeip.net/mockups/diffbridge/8/8b.xht
> Show the footings. I have aligned them ascending, to emphasize that it is a 
> different dimension (orthogonal information) and also underline the direction 
> of votespace. Currently I feel like making these votespace footings default as 
> Mike has.
> Clarification problem (I have to skype with Mike): I am not yet sure how the 
> left buttons in the xf toolbar are expected to behave, I have modelled them as 
> toggle icons emphasizing which information is currently shown.
> 
> Parallel voters for Ed. and Bu. are left out for now to avoid confusion. You 
> can directly navigate to other differences by hitting the white difference 
> symbols on the left of Mi. and on the right of Ed. Do you think this is handy?
> 
> 3) http://whiletaker.homeip.net/mockups/diffbridge/8/8c.xht
> Click (pin) a communication element. The toolbar icon for communication 
> (bubble) is highlighted and the sender of the post is shown on the right 
> caption. Either the communication bubble icon or the text itself opens the 
> original post in a new tab.
> 
> 4) http://whiletaker.homeip.net/mockups/diffbridge/8/8d.xht
> Ed logs in. The handle for this is missing at the moment in the xf-toolbar, 
> but I suppose it is meant to work that way with single-signon for the mini-
> beta. (2) Ed. bridges the second difference, text and bridge-button 
> immediately turn green and the patch operation is previewed. 
> 
> 5) http://whiletaker.homeip.net/mockups/diffbridge/8/8e.xht
> Ed hovers the first difference and all communication items relating to this 
> difference are highlighted in its colour in the feed track. This is to give an 
> idea why we need to separate colour spaces between xf and other sites and in 
> general how highlighting helps to underline the connections. Hovering a head 
> in the feed can also highlight all related (linked in post) differences on the 
> bridge.
> 
> 6) http://whiletaker.homeip.net/mockups/diffbridge/8/8f.xht
> Tooltips are shown the same way Mike has proposed for xf. On the bridge we can 
> use default tooltips aligned to the hovering cursor to explain actions.
> 
> Note: You can open the svg in inkscape and activate layers to play around 
> more. Feel free to post improved mockups in svg!
> 
> Problems:
> 1) Obviously there is a lot information. At least three dimensions are in 
> there: Differences between two texts, Votespace and communication history. Not 
> shown is the history of differences, which could be configured in another 
> track. Some smart ideas to strip out more details without losing core 
> information? Maybe we don't need votespace?
> 
> 2) Maybe the slider checkbox as shown in 8d is overkill. I have tried to 
> combine the touch-friendly checkboxes with appropriate symobls and arrows. One 
> could also use the simple default checkbox with a check sign instead of a 
> cross.
> 
> conseo
> 
> (1) http://zelea.com/project/votorola/s/gwt/stage/_/mock/diff-1.xht
> (2) http://zelea.com/w/User:4consensus_WebDe/G/p/rovn