Ubuntu QA:
BlogBrainstormPackage status
Log in
Ubuntu QA
The Ubuntu community has contributed 22700 ideas, 138270 comments, 2629576 votes
Idea sandbox Idea sandbox
Popular ideas Popular ideas
Ideas in development Ideas in development
Implemented ideas Implemented ideas

Contributor Allards on the Usability category

Inexperienced users don't know when/how to safely unplug removable drives  
Written by turbolad the 21 Apr 12 at 12:25. Related project: Nautilus. New
Removable media, such as USB pendrives, can be inadvertently unplugged by inexperienced users before all data has been written, which causes file corruption. Also, such users' are unaware of "Eject" or "Safely Remove Drive".
80
votes
up equal down
Solution #1: Add wording to the user interface (see below)
Written by turbolad the 21 Apr 12 at 12:25.
Some means of wording to remind the user not to remove the device during writing e.g. file copying.

The text can be added to existing notifications, such as adding wording below the file copying (or file moving) progress bar, saying something like: "Do not unplug the device now to avoid corrupting your files". It has to sound scary for inexperienced users to take notice. ;)

When a removable device is connected, a notification to remind users to select "Eject"/"Safely Remove Drive" BEFORE unplugging the device. When that is done, a message could appear saying "You can now safely remove the device".
9
votes
up equal down
Solution #2: Display information when pluggin
Written by 4485670 the 30 Apr 12 at 09:18.
Display a popup or similar when plugging such a device.
There is an option to "not show this message again".

Can be a big "scary" popup with text like:
"You plugged in a removable media, be sure to unplug it only when all write action have finished or use the 'eject feature'. Otherwise you risk data loss!"
14
votes
up equal down
Solution #3: Add info to the removable media icon
Written by alms66 the 9 May 12 at 07:18.
When actually writing the removable drive put a progress bar on it...

When actually reading from the removable drive, put a "no" sign on it (a circle with the slash through the center)...
2
votes
up equal down
Solution #4: Educate the user the first time, and every time a drive is improperly removed
Written by sdaugherty the 15 May 12 at 22:10.
The first time a user plugs in a removable drive, provide a removable drive tutorial wizard, and offer to show an always-on-top removable drive status & eject window any time a removable drive is plugged in.

Afterwards, anytime a removable drive is incorrectly removed, display a warning.

"A removable drive was removed without properly ejecting."
"The removable drive "foo" was not safely removed, and data may have been lost."
"Removing a drive while data is still being written will cause data loss. Even after an operation such as saving or copying files has completed, data may still be writing in the background. In order to be sure it's safe to remove, please use the Eject command. "
[Show me how to eject a drive] [Close this warning]
0
votes
up equal down
Solution #5: Let them pull it out
Written by Allards the 20 May 12 at 20:58.
Just let them pull out the device and don't bother with something that looks like an error, when there is no issue.

Perhaps ONLY when data write is still pending show them a popup to put it back and rewrite the data that's missing.

See the 12 comments or propose a solution (latest comment the 12 Jun 12 at 04:27) >>

Run thorough User Test  
Written by Allards the 20 May 12 at 17:50. Related project: Unity. Already implemented
I'm a Mac OS and was a Windows user. I'm trying Ubuntu 12.04 on my iMac a lot to love, but also so much to be disturbed about.

I'm keeping a list with annoying issues, (things that are broken in the interface) in 3 days the list filled up with over 50 issues and inconsistencies.

This makes me wonder, does Canonical run user test? And if they do with whom DEVS? "They'd better bring me in" because obviously it's not being pointed out where Ubuntu falls short in the Interface and user interaction. Even it might be 500 to 1000 things that needs to be fixed, this Ubuntu version is closer then ever to be usable by i wider audience.

Please Canonical run professional usability tests and explicitly EXLUDE DEVS and Ubuntu Gurus from those test!
0
votes
closed
Solution #1: Run test with non devs
Written by Allards the 20 May 12 at 17:50.
Test usability with a wide audience (seniors,random people, Windows / Mac user from all walks of life) Make it independent from development.

See the 7 comments or propose a solution (latest comment the 23 May 12 at 07:32) >>