[Libreoffice-ux-advise] [Bug 155561] Option to Disable Overwrite Mode (Insert Key)

[bugzilla-daemon at bugs.documentfoundation.org]

https://bugs.documentfoundation.org/show_bug.cgi?id=155561

--- Comment #3 from Eyal Rozenberg <eyalroz1 at gmx.com> ---
tl;dr: No option, but make the (first?) turning on of Overwrite mode _more_
visible than it is now, i.e. attract attention to it.



(In reply to Tex2002ans from comment #0)
> ... users turn this on by accident,...
> then have no idea how to turn it off.
> 
> This leads to many user questions/complaints on forums + social media ...

I agree that this switching to Overwrite mode by accident is a problem, at
least for users who are not aware that it exists. An experienced user would
think:

(Heiko Tietze in comment #2)
> Standard computer behaviour to me. 

and that's true, but - a lot of people don't know what's 'standard'.

On the other hand, this:

>
> I'm betting:
> 
> - 99%+ of users clicking into this mode stumble upon it by complete accident.
> - <1% of users may even know what this mode is AND deliberately want it on.

is most probably wrong. You're just hearing the users that turned it on by
accident. All the rest never complain about it.


Now, as for the _solution_ - disabling Overwrite mode by default is
inappropriate IMHO. It is definitely something we want users to experience by
default; it isn't a niche advanced feature. And if we introduced such an
option, but Overwrite is enabled by default - people are even less likely to
notice this option than they are to notice they've entered Overwrite mode... 

Instead, Heiko hinted at a solution:

(Heiko Tietze in comment #2)
> nicely shown in the statusbar (click to toggle)

So, it's nicely shown if you are aware that it's there or know to look for it.
If you've never heard of Insert Mode / Overwrite Mode - you'll probably miss
it. Hence my suggest: The first time a user switches mode, draw their attention
to that part of the status bar, e.g. using:

* a background-color-flash
* a tooltip / tooltip-like window which tells the user what they just did, and
includes a link to an explanation
* Another dynamic effect like a zooming-in-frame, or bold-flashing the mode
name etc.

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