Comments on: The “Don’t Wreck My PC!” startup screen is done. Opinions?

By: Richie Hindle

Richie Hindle — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 21:29:33 +0000

@Michael: Yes, you can drag the edges of the areas you’ve dragged…
@Bracken: …and you use those yellow borders to do so.

By: Michael Nebinger

Michael Nebinger — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 19:37:30 +0000

When you are at Step 2, and drag the rectangle to reveal the area, can you drag the corners of the rectangle to “refine” the area better? Or do you have to drag a new rectangle?

As you can tell, I have a son (who is 6 now) who is notorious for messing up desktops. He can change things around that I have never heard of.

By: Richie Hindle

Richie Hindle — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:44:33 +0000

Thanks for the great feedback!

Yes, I’ll be supporting presets. It won’t change this screen – when you get to Step 2 you’ll be prompted to create a new screen layout or load a previously saved one. Loading a saved screen layout won’t attempt to load up web pages or start applications, it’ll just set up the safe areas, then let you modify them or go straight to step 3.

I’m not planning on having the yellow lines in the real Step 2, because they won’t be necessary. The whole screen goes dim (to about 30% brightness) and when you drag a rectangle you “reveal” that area – it comes back to full brightness. It’s difficult to explain in words (screenshots will be along soon!) but I can assure you that it’s obvious which areas can be clicked and which can’t.

@Patrick: “Maximizing” – good catch, thanks!

By: Scott Karstetter

Scott Karstetter — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:15:03 +0000

That’s a nice interface. I know people that would be interested in a product like this.

By: Steve McLeod

Steve McLeod — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 07:15:37 +0000

It’s very easy to understand. It makes your app seem professional. It’s helpful. I like it.

By: Michael Nebinger

Michael Nebinger — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:53:09 +0000

Presets would be nice. Something like favorites (web pages, programs) with the “clickable” portion recalled from previous uses.

I am always forgetting which websites my kids want to go to

By: Bracken

Bracken — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:50:59 +0000

I think it’s perfect. It’s very simple!
How precise will people have to be when ‘cutting out’ the safe area?
Are you going to have the thick yellow line we see in the little preview thing? I think that yellow line definitely looks good, and seems like a good thickness so you wouldn’t be confused what you’re dragging over.

By: Patrick McKenzie

Patrick McKenzie — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 03:02:18 +0000

Your call, but Americans spell it “maximizing”. Otherwise I think this is a solid interface and shaping up to be a very impressive product.

You’re eventually going to add in the ability for presets, right? When you do that will require a bit of retooling.