Re: Emacs Survey: Toolbars

[Christopher Dimech]

> Sent: Tuesday, December 15, 2020 at 6:07 PM
> From: "Philip K." <philipk@posteo.net>
> To: "Jean Louis" <bugs@gnu.support>
> Cc: "Lars Ingebrigtsen" <larsi@gnus.org>, emacs-devel@gnu.org
> Subject: Re: Emacs Survey: Toolbars
>
> Jean Louis <bugs@gnu.support> writes:
>
> > Only small subset of users answered the survey. Emacs is used by much 
> > larger number of people. One can see that survey says that users who did 
> > answer the survey are on level higher.
> >
> > If you disable the toolbar you are doing it for those who answered the 
> > survey, not for those coming to Emacs, larger number of users.
> >
> > If I rememberv well survey also shows that large number of users use
> > it since shorter time like one year meaning that larger number of
> > users drop in the first year. Finding that cause and improving there
> > would keep those users.
>
> I guess it would be interesting to also find out what the connection is
> between newer users and toolbar usage. I personally think that the
> menu-bar is more than enough (though also not necessary), and that the
> toolbar is inefficient, and even if it were, it's underutilized.

The advantage of the menu-bar is that we can have the associated
keybindings displayed.  And that would be extremely useful for users.
They can use the menu to find the associated key binding.  Yet, the
advantage of finding the keybinding from the menu-bar is not fully
realised.  This is one thing that could help new users.  A serious
improvement would involve updating the keybinding strings in the
menu-bar according to what is specifically defined by the customisation
of the user.  Particularly for people not using a querty keyboard.
For instance, adapting keybindings for use with the Dvorak Keyboard
would be a significant improvement.


> People who use the TUI mode or "distributions" also usually don't have
> to disable it, so that might also be a factor that has to be considered.
>
> > On December 15, 2020 5:30:20 AM UTC, Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi@gnus.org> 
> > wrote:
> >>In that mega thread about modernising Emacs, there was a lot of talk
> >>about getting more data about how people use Emacs, and then...  do
> >>something accordingly.
> >>
> >>Behold: https://emacssurvey.org/2020/
> >>
> >>So here's the first thread about actionable takeaways from the survey.
> >>(Consider all arguments about the survey not being representative as
> >>having been made already.)
> >>
> >>Of 7.3K respondents, 5K disable toolbars, which is more than two
> >>thirds.  So perhaps toolbars should default to off?  I know toolbars
> >>were all the rage in the 90s, but that's apparently not the case now.
> >>
> >>Opinions?
> >
> >
> > Jean
> >
> >
>
> --
>       Philip K.
>
>