On Wed, 2005-02-16 at 08:54, Tobias Eigen wrote:
It's really weird to have to log in multiple times to access multiple list settings, especially if it's the same password being used everywhere. It's likewise weird to then be able to make "global" changes from one list's preferences page.
There's no question that this is a major usability issue, but it's a result of an ancient architectural decision that is difficult to fix and not backwards compatible.
Has anybody considered having a usability expert look at the Mailman interfaces and redesign them so they make more sense from a user's point of view? How easy is it to customize these pages? Are they perchance templatable?
Not easily. One of the goals of MM3 is to make the u/i fully templated.
I certainly make no claims to web u/i artistry, and there have been a few attempts over the years to improve things, but no one with the expertise has stepped forward and owned the task of doing this. I'd welcome it though.
And we're only talking about the frontend (listinfo interface) here now, not even the backend (admin interface) for list owners. The backend is so incredibly complex and overwhelming that it has become a serious stumbling block for us in offering a service that people will actually use.
I agree. Somehow we need to make the admin interface much simpler, without sacrificing the important features that (some) people will need. It's a challenge. I actually think that list styles will help a lot here.
For Kabissa these interfaces have to be as easy to use as Yahoo Groups or Google (has anyone tried Google's groups? They are quite nifty actually). We have people coming online from all over Africa who pay dearly for every precious minute they spend online.
I hear you. -Barry