[kepler-dev] Welcome screen vs Splash screen

[Laura L. Downey]

It was decided at the recent kepler-dev meeting that we would have both the
splash screen and the welcome screen -- the splash screen is to give users
an idea of what is going on while Kepler is initializing etc. then it should
disappear and be replaced with the welcome screen, which is only dismissed
upon user action (or does not appear the next time if the user unchecks the
"show this dialog upon startup" checkbox) and provides a few simple links to
documentation for scientists and documentation for programmers.  Just as a
reminder, the welcome screen will have other things included in the future,
most likely links to specific samples and online tutorials etc.

I think we should stay with this decision for the time being since we have
so many other things to deal with.

BTW, the welcome screen should not have the min/max controls.  I just didn't
know how to remove them in the prototyping software I'm using.  Good catch
on that.  But the welcome screen is a regular window with the standard "X"
for closing in the upper right of the window title bar and a "close" button
in the bottom right hand corner.

As to the links, I have the same questions.  I'm assuming (dangerous I know)
that we will be displaying PDF or HTML documentation for Kepler in a Kepler
window with the exception being any link to Ptolemy docs which will be to
their HTML pages.

Laura L. Downey
Senior Usability Engineer
LTER Network Office
Department of Biology, MSC03 2020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM  87131-0001
505.277.3157 office
505.610.9657 mobile
505.277-2541 fax
ldowney at lternet.edu
 
-----Original Message-----
From: kepler-dev-bounces at ecoinformatics.org
[mailto:kepler-dev-bounces at ecoinformatics.org] On Behalf Of Kevin Ruland
Sent: Wednesday, February 15, 2006 10:01 AM
To: Kepler-Dev
Subject: [kepler-dev] Welcome screen vs Splash screen

Hi all,

The welcome screen and splash screen are both in the code now.  Since 
the Welcome screen simply has http urls (and doesn't do the whole sample 
workflow selection thing) it would be perfectly reasonable to use that 
as the splash instead of the current one.  In any case, having both of 
them is a little noisy during startup.

My vote would be to have the welcome screen completely replace the 
splash.  I'd get rid of the frame (ie, make undecorated) so the user 
doesn't have minimize/maximize buttons, make it stay on top of the other 
application windows, and consider changing the urls it points to.  Are 
the urls going to be documents distributed with the Kepler application - 
or will they continue to be remote http urls?

Kevin
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