<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><BR><DIV><DIV>On 09/02/2006, at 7:55, Eric O'Brien wrote:</DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><DIV>"Density"�is a very nice generic description of the problem!</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>By the way, in the following, I don't at all mean to be harsh!� Instead, I'd like to figure out how "what's in there" can be made even more visible, available and understandable... to get even more converts.� TextMate is a fabulous product and, rather then "upgrade" BBEdit, I recently purchased TextMate instead.�</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Critique...</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>The functionality and power of TextMate is unevenly distributed in its visual working space.� (Even more difficult, much of it is, in fact, NOT visible at all.)�</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><SPAN class="Apple-style-span">It is difficult to "discover" previously unknown functionality.� It is also difficult to RE-discover ("remember") previously <I>discovered</I> functionality.</SPAN></DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Furthermore, the way that "I" mentally "clump" functionality often is not the way it is clumped in TextMate.� For example... I remember that I can do something.� But is it a built-in feature, or in a macro, command or snippet?� (Oh! I just noticed:� apparently, the "gear" icon combines access to all three?)��</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>What was it called? ? � �And, was it... THIS keyboard shortcut?� YIKES!� Hmm... well, that's actually sort of interesting.� I wonder what I did?</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>I suppose it's all context-related. Am I cranking out Python code? Check out the Python section.� �</DIV><DIV>LaTeX? Ditto. Am I working in ActionScript? Nope, I never do. As Tom Christiansen put, us human beings, we're really great at context.</DIV><DIV><BR><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><DIV></DIV><DIV>If it's a built-in feature, is it under the "Edit" menu, or perhaps the "Text" menu?� If not found in the "Text" menu, maybe it's in the Automation > Replay Macro > Text menu.� OR, Automation > Insert Snippet > Text.� OR... Automation > Run Command > Text.� Or maybe the "gear" menu.� [Too bad my keyboard binding for that shortcut doesn't work!]� Oops, well I guess (think) not.� Hmm... maybe it's under the "Edit" menu?� ;)</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>!!</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE><DIV>Hmm, being more of a keyoboard-oriented user (I'm a Linux switcher) I tend to use menus as cheat-sheets, not as actual command triggers. So the Command-Esc thing works fine for me... Hit it, see what's available, look-up the key combination... (and, well, make a mental note of what you'd like to add to the command and snippets list).�</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>So the position of the menu is not a problem for me. I like clean interfaces (I hated the Emacs tool-bar).</DIV><BR><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><DIV></DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>I have a horrible urge to shout for the inclusion of Toolbars (Multiple! and Fully Configurable! Of course.)� And Floating Palettes.� LOTS of floating palettes.� All, also (of course) Fully Configurable. �Lots of drag, drop, stretch and perforate. �And a Unified Keyboard-Shorcut/Keybinding Editing & debugging Panel.� Also... well, Fully Configurable.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>OK, my tone is somewhat flippant.� But seriously, in TextMate there is "more than meets the eye."� How do we bring that to the surface and make it more coherent and accessible?� Without�dynamiting the fish pond.��</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>By which I mean that implementing "A Palette for Every Function and a Function for Every Palette" (or something) will simply smother the existing interface.� Bringing "everything to the surface" (that's the dynamite in the fishpond) is not a good solution.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Over-stuffed drop-down menus begat hierarchal menus.� Overstuffed hierarchal menus begat "tear off" menus (palettes).� Overstuffed palettes begat "tabbed" palettes.� Then the tabbed palettes grew their OWN hierarchal ("flyout") menus and I'm afraid we've come full circle!� I don't know where the heck "tool bars" and "gutter bars" got into the picture.� :)� �Now we've got scrolling, collapsing sidebars (has anyone looked at Adobe Lightroom?)� And don't forget "twirl-down" menus.� Hierarchal, but instead of popping out, they reveal their contents (like the "reveal" triangle in the Mac Finder).� I'm skeptical that ANY of this makes functionality any more accessible or discoverable than if it was simply dumped into a gigantic "bubble" that users could simply re-arrange to their own liking.� Rather like a "desktop" in this case.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Hmm!� Maybe we need a "Dashboard-like" feature!!� Press a button and your editing interface switches to a completely customizable "TextMate Dashboard" interface.� Users get to scatter WHATEVER they want anywhere on this alternative "desktop/control surface/utility panel/macro switchboard"... whatever you want to call it.� Why should "Preferences" or the bundle editor be constrained a dialog box?� Why not give it an entire new view into the application?</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Users�can organize commands, macros, snippets ... WHATever, here in any way they like.� All the (and any of the) CLUTTER would (here) be constrained to the TextMate "Dashboard," leaving the editing interface sleek and tidy!� Oh!� I'm liking this.� Excuse me for a moment while I duck out and grab a patent or two.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE>You're describing� QuickSilver. QS rocks. Absolutely. I'm off to their forums to demand a TextMate plugin. (Ouch, their site is down... nevermind).</DIV><DIV><BR><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><DIV></DIV><DIV>OK, I'm back.� Maybe the TMDB ("TextMateDashBoard") has a terminal window sitting ready to type into.� Maybe it also has that wished-for SFTP window.� Maybe ... ??� Maybe there can be more than one TextMate "screen set," "virtual desktop" or "dashboard." � �??</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Well, I don't have a lot of answers to this problem right now� [Oh, yes I do!� Look at that "dashboard" idea!� ;) ].��</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>I want [some of] the benefits of toolbars and palettes, but not the added clutter of them. � �And since the user community currently has to rely pretty much on a single programmer in this, I would not want Allan spend most of his energy programming Palette Behavior.� Ugh.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>eo</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></BODY></HTML>