[doodiebrad]

Originally Posted by Brian

Not every element inside every chunk of screen has to line up with some other element in an adjacent part of the screen. Buttons have borders so they can align properly regardless of what the contents do.

Just because the Inbox button has text - to help differentiate it from the other "tap this and show me a list of items" areas on the screen - doesn't mean that the New Item button needs text, too. Tap that button one time and you realize it does something different.

Returning to your original point... As gopi's screenshots illustrate, trying to make the yellow portions of each button "line up" or "match" produces a quick entry button that's crowded by the borders in one case, and an inbox counter that's vertically challenged and looks bad in the other.

We understand you'd prefer something different here doodiebrad, but whatever time we spend making a change here could be used working on the other things which larger groups of customers have told us they want.

We got a small number of passionate emails telling us that the new icons and art we added to the iPhone app a while ago were a huge step backwards. If they shouted the loudest, should we have listened? :-)

Again, it's your baby. If you think those icons look fine, then by all means keep them. But to sum this up, because I think we're beating a dead horse here, your job should be to "wow and delight" your users, not simply to add features that are "most requested" while ignoring other deficiencies in your application. You're being too easy on yourselves, you can do it ALL, form AND function. One doesn't have to sacrifice the other.

[gopi]

Originally Posted by doodiebrad

Again, it's your baby. If you think those icons look fine, then by all means keep them. But to sum this up, because I think we're beating a dead horse here, your job should be to "wow and delight" your users, not simply to add features that are "most requested" while ignoring other deficiencies in your application. You're being too easy on yourselves, you can do it ALL, form AND function. One doesn't have to sacrifice the other.

So, do you have any comments on the modifications I posted? I know that the icons as they are now make you unhappy, but you have pointedly refused to comment on what you would do to change things.

[doodiebrad]

Originally Posted by gopi

So, do you have any comments on the modifications I posted? I know that the icons as they are now make you unhappy, but you have pointedly refused to comment on what you would do to change things.

Hey, didn't mean to ignore you. Your modifications are nice, but they only address the difference in pixel height. Not the generic nature of the icons, nor the inconstancy of text + icon in one and only icon in the other. Thanks for trying.

[gopi]

Originally Posted by doodiebrad

Hey, didn't mean to ignore you. Your modifications are nice, but they only address the difference in pixel height. Not the generic nature of the icons, nor the inconstancy of text + icon in one and only icon in the other. Thanks for trying.

I was hoping you might have a preference of some kind :)

[GeoffAirey]

Originally Posted by doodiebrad

Again, it's your baby. If you think those icons look fine, then by all means keep them. But to sum this up, because I think we're beating a dead horse here, your job should be to "wow and delight" your users, not simply to add features that are "most requested" while ignoring other deficiencies in your application. You're being too easy on yourselves, you can do it ALL, form AND function. One doesn't have to sacrifice the other.

No OmniFocus' job is to produce Solid products which do what they say on the tin. Yes Form AND Function is the panacea, but get 10 UI designers in a room and they'll disagree on some things.

Bottom line, does OmniFocus provide a GTD solution which works for me? Yes
Is it uncluttered and easy to use? Yes
Would the UI improvements suggested here make it easier to use? IMHO No

OF is not an impulse buy, if someone spends $40, they're going to take the time to learn how to use the App, and anyone who already does GTD will pick it up easily.

[cgriffin]

TBH, I never noticed the issue of the icons not lining up along the bottom, but now that it's been pointed out, it does seem a bit awkward. It's not something that prevents me from using the app, of course, but it might be nice to address it.

Out of gopi's two mockups, I prefer the one on the left, but actually I would address it a different way. Make the two boxes the same size. The one on the left can be just like it is now, with the pen. As to the one on the right, rather than say 'Inbox' above it, which causes the issue by pushing the box down, just put the word 'Inbox' inside it when the inbox is empty, and have the number of inbox items when it's not empty. I can't draw, but what about something like:



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[cpac]

I think putting the text inside the box confuses things further, since the one box represents a task and the other a container for tasks. Two things with very different functions shouldn't look the same.

Again, I wonder whether these buttons are necessary at all. Why not just rely on the plus in the upper right for new items, and keep the Inbox, like the other "containers" of tasks an item in the vertical list like it is in the iPhone app?

[ksrhee]

Originally Posted by cpac

I think putting the text inside the box confuses things further, since the one box represents a task and the other a container for tasks. Two things with very different functions shouldn't look the same.

Again, I wonder whether these buttons are necessary at all. Why not just rely on the plus in the upper right for new items, and keep the Inbox, like the other "containers" of tasks an item in the vertical list like it is in the iPhone app?

I for one like having these on the left side when the program is on the landscape since I can quickly enter the new items. Depending on where you are, the "plus" button requires an additional step.

As far as these two boxes are looking different or not aligned, it's a non-issue for me. More I think about it, more I like them to be different since my eyes can zoom it on the box I want right away instead having to differentiate the two boxes. Now you might say it's a mili-second thing, but when you are in a hurry, every little thing helps.