User:Billw58/Prefs Options

Peter 3Jun12: I *really* don't like the numbers. They add nothing for me, they don't refer or relate to a numbered reference section for Preferences. And as Bill pointed out in the email thread the current front page doesn't have numbering anywhere.

Gale 03Jun12: Thanks for the work Bill. The new front page has numbers for the other list it has (the major sections) and this is a list too. Numbers reinforce the importance of Prefs and show the order (which is ambiguous otherwise.
If we have numbers I am +1 on across first, -1 on down first. I like bullets (when aligned properly) +0.75. I'm -0.75 on having neither bullets or numbers. I agree it is not really right in the context of the whole page. If most want neither bullets or numbers, then maybe a subtle border around the Prefs block?
Bill 03Jun12: The PrefBull template aligns the bullets properly, but screen readers will say the link to the graphic every time encountered whether a template is used or not. I thought the bullet graphics were out because of this?
By the 'prefs block' do you mean the table of 16 sections? I've added that to the No Numbers section.
I could make a case for prefs sections to be listed alphabetically. After all, until you see an image of the prefs dialog what does the order matter? Perhaps users could find what they're looking for faster in a alphabetical list? My point is that numbering to show the order of the prefs sections as presented in the dialog is not that important.
Gale 03Jun12: I had not seen your discovery before now that screen readers say the link to the graphic. I understand with "real" Wiki bullet points (asterisk) they say "text"? Can you remind me why we cannot make this a proper list, given we are still using this in "More Details" - is that fixed now for browsers like Chrome?
I agree ordering Prefs alphabetically might help user sometimes but it would be more confusing to then see a different order when you got there. I would not do it unless we actually say that the list is alphabetical.
I can live with no bullets or numbers if needs be with the enclosed box (that is what I meant) but still -0.25. This is primarily about visuals (not giving users an undifferentiated mass of links in amongst already dense text) and consistency. Perhaps we should wait for Ed as he started this.
Bill 03Jun12: The horizontal list items are not fixed in Chrome and Safari. Look at this page in Safari. AFAICT the floating horizontal list items appear work properly on the current front page because they are at the bottom of the cell. But look at the current front page in Safari - there is a blank line below the "importing - exporting - metadata editor" line. Since the vast majority of Mac users will be using Safari or Chrome (Camino is very marginal and I believe Firefox is too), we should get this right for those two browsers. If this means using fake lists or some other form of presentation then I think that should be seriously considered.
VoiceOver behaves differently in Chrome and Safari - Safari says "text" when it encounters a real bullet, Chrome says nothing and skips it (I think). With your change to the PrefBull template, Voiceover in Safari says "wiki bullet dot P N G image".
My point about alphabetizing was that order is not really that important and thus I don't see the point of needing the numbers.
I've never been that concerned about the "wall of links", nor about slavish consistency in using lists versus tables on the front page. If we feel that the table of prefs sections must appear to be a list then I vote for the numbers - at least screen readers will then say e.g. "one. link, devices preferences. two. link, playback preferences...".