Hi there,
I wanted to share a couple of simple and cheap customizations I've made
on my daily Squeak image that I feel improves (phisical) ergonomy. I suggest
those guys that make that customized images take a look and ofcourse the
official Squeak to see if, triviality aside, this is cool enough.
To install, 1) evaluate in a workspace the code in Preferences.text
attached file and 2) install the ListItemColorPreferences.1.cs changeset
file.
The changeset with 2 method modifications that make the lists use the
preferences instead of harcoded colors for highlighting. The preferences
code is in the other attached file.
Criteria was: minimalism, a better Fitts law score and better contrast.
Minimalism. No splitter handlers and pollute the windows with scrolls
only when rigorously necessary.
Fitts. Make the scrolls wider to reduce the time aiming the pointer
device (mouse or whatever) before the click.
Contrast. Take care on contrast making it better for items selected in a
list.
I encourage to use better contrast for highlighting in selected list
items. Try to read from 1 meter of the screen with the default red over
lightgray (low contrast) and then customize it to a better contrasted
version. I liked the readability of cyan over dark blue but is so different
from the main theme that I choosed a not that radical one (like the one I've
put in the preferences file).
As developers parsing the low contrast symbols hundred of times a day
ofen for hours at that low contrast can wastely "raise the temp of our
graphic cards", this is, unecessary visual stress.
Who knows.. everything to save a couple of headaches :)
all the best,
Sebastian Sastre
PD: when I had some more time for this I plan to make a preference of
opening menues and submenues with a click (like it is now) or only with a
mouse over. This can save hundreds of clicks a week and so the clicker
finger join.