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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 14/09/2012 18:06, Kent James wrote:<br>
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<blockquote cite="mid:50536412.6060402@caspia.com" type="cite">
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To push at the simplicity boundary, we must be willing to reduce
the complexity of the user interface. One of the main ways that we
have to do that is through addons. The user interface for features
that are only going to be used by a tiny fraction of our users
should be pushed to addons, and not included in the core code.<br>
<br>
In the long run I would like to see us do this more explicitly by
adding a category of addon that is maintained along with the core
product, and shipped with the core product. So these addons would
have the same commitment to support as any core feature, but are
included as addons to reduce the overall complexity of the
product. Good candidates for that in the long run would be chat,
calendaring, RSS feeds, bayesian junk processing, advanced
security models, and advanced search and filter functionality.<br>
</blockquote>
Generally, I'm not yet convinced moving items to add-ons that are
shipped with the core product, will actually benefit us - the
maintenance of those add-ons would be approximately the same, or
even slightly more. From the user interface perspective, we'd have
the same UI with the add-on enabled and we'd need to do some kind of
dance for having the add-on enabled for existing users, and some
sort of UI to enable it for new users if they wish to (including
explaining the feature).<br>
<br>
If we want to look at simplifying what we have, then I think the
best way to start that is by looking at what we already have and try
to drive forward consistencies or tab specific options etc. <br>
<blockquote cite="mid:50536412.6060402@caspia.com" type="cite"> In
the short run, I would encourage us to be selective about adding
new features that complicate an already overwhelming user
interface. Just because a developer is motivated should not be a
good reason to add new user interface items for rarely needed
features.<br>
</blockquote>
Agreed.<br>
<br>
Mark.<br>
<br>
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