Kevin's Blog

IT, Scala, Java, Web, Ubuntu

Month: May 2009 (Page 3 of 3)

Communication with Users

14 May, 2009 /

I have developed Team Contribution Tracking (TeCTra) system for UTS. It is an Ajax web application the back-end of which is built using Java. A few months ago, a new function to get feedback from users was added to TeCTra.

TeCTra User Feedback Function

TeCTra User Feedback Function

About a half month ago, I’ve got a feedback email from a user. This is sent through the function above.

TeCTra User Feedback Email

TeCTra User Feedback Email

TeCTra User Feedback Email

TeCTra User Feedback Email

This feedback is about the usability of TeCTra. What he/she points out is that the button to create a new task in the time sheet tab is positioned too close to the remove button so users may click the remove button by mistake when they want to click the add task button.
As the image below shows, the last remove button is too close to the new task button. So as mentioned in the feedback, users might click the remove button by mistake.

The last remove task button is too close to the new task button.

The last remove task button is too close to the new task button.

We, the development team of the TeCTra, had a discussion about this and other issues then decided to move the buttons to the right-hand side. Since the front-end is developed by my friend, Sverre, he changed the positions of the remove buttons. My boss, Dr. Richard Raban, also brought other issues so I and my friend took care of all of these and deployed a new version of TeCTra.

Now the remove buttons are all right-justified so users will not click it by chance when they want to click the new task button.

Now the remove buttons are all right-justified so users will not click it by chance when they want to click the new task button.

It is good to have an issue tracking system so that the users of software can easily report bugs they found or require new functions they want. This might be good enough yet it is even better if the application itself has issue tracking and feedback functions as I’ve learned from the user feedback function. Thus I am thinking to implement feedback and bug reporting functions which directly add a new ticket to an issue tracking system from my next application development. So it does not only send a feedback email to the developer but also add an issue to the issue tracking system.

Enable Ctrl+Alt+Backspace Again

3 May, 2009 /

Ctrl+Alt+Backspace Disabled

As stated in the Ubuntu 9.04 release notes, Ctrl-Alt-Backspace key combination to restart Xorg is disabled.

Ctrl-Alt-Backspace disabled by default in Xorg

The Ctrl-Alt-Backspace key combination to force a restart of X is now disabled by default, to eliminate the problem of accidentally triggering the key combination. Users who do want this function can enable it in their xorg.conf, or by running the command dontzap --disable.

Enable Ctrl+Alt+Backspace Again

Ubuntu Linux 9.10 Karmic Koala

This part is added on the 23rd of November in 2009 as in the 9.10 version, enabling Ctrl+Alt+Backspace is different from doing it in the 9.04 version.
If you are using Ubuntu Linux 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope, please scroll down to skip this part then you can find one for Jaunty Jackalope.

* System -> Preferences -> Keyboard
* System -> Preferences -> Keyboard

Select the 'Layouts' tab -> Click the 'Layout Options' button
* Select the ‘Layouts’ tab -> Click the ‘Layout Options’ button

Click the 'Key sequence to kill the X server' to expand it -> Check the 'Control + Alt + Backspace' option -> Click the 'Close' button
* Click the ‘Key sequence to kill the X server’ to expand it -> Check the ‘Control + Alt + Backspace’ option -> Click the ‘Close’ button

Done!!!

Ubuntu Linux 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope

* Open the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file and add

Section "ServerFlags"
	Option	"DontZap"	"False"
EndSection

* Or simply use dontzap.
* If it is not installed already,

$ sudo apt-get install dontzap

* Use the dontzap command to enable Ctrl+Alt+Backspace

$ sudo dontzap --disable

This acually adds 

Section "ServerFlags"
	Option	"DontZap"	"False"
EndSection

to the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file.

* After it is done, make sure to log out & in for the change to take effect.

* To enable the “DontZap” option again,

$ sudo dontzap --enable

* More information about the DontZap option.

http://www.x.org/archive/X11R6.8.0/doc/xorg.conf.5.html#sect4 

Option "DontZap" "boolean"

This disallows the use of the Ctrl+Alt+Backspace sequence. That sequence is normally used to terminate the Xorg server. When this option is enabled, that key sequence has no special meaning and is passed to clients. Default: off.

Change Back to Previous Update Notification

3 May, 2009 /

According to the Ubuntu 9.04 release notes, there is a change in the update notification.

Change in notifications of available updates

Ubuntu 9.04 introduces a change to the handling of package updates, launching update-manager directly instead of displaying a notification icon in the GNOME panel. Users will still be notified of security updates on a daily basis, but for updates that are not security-related, users will only be prompted once a week.

Users who wish to continue receiving update notifications in the previous manner can restore the earlier behavior using the following command:

gconftool -s --type bool /apps/update-notifier/auto_launch false

As it says, this can be changed back to the previous style with the following command.

$ gconftool -s --type bool /apps/update-notifier/auto_launch false

or through the Configuration Editor

Install the Configuration Editor if it is not already installed.

Install the Configuration Editor if it is not already installed.



Open the Configuration Editor
Open the Configuration Editor

Applications -> System Tools -> Configuration Editor




Expand <code>apps</code> category
Expand the apps category




Click the <code>update-notifier</code> to select it.
Click the update-notifier to select it.

The configuration details of it appears on the right hand side




Uncheck the value of the <code>auto_launch</code> key.
Uncheck the value of the auto_launch key.

Close the Configuration Editor

* Optional: regular_auto_launch_interval can be changed for more or less frequent notification




Update Notifier will appear when there are available updates instead of the update manager directly launched.
Update Notifier will appear when there are available updates instead of the update manager directly launched.



							
	

				
	


		

		
				
			

						
											
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