Keyboard layout change visual feedback. Thoughts?

[Mackenzie Morgan]

On Saturday 14 March 2009 10:59:05 pm Dylan McCall wrote:
> Here is a cute little bug (and patch) I filed upstream...
> 
> http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=567880
> 
> The idea is that right now changing keyboard layout via shortcut keys
> (Eg: Alt + Caps Lock) provides absolutely no visual feedback by default.
> Bad for many reasons. It's bad for people learning the system, since
> they can EASILY hit those keys by accident and be confused. (A very
> popular problem, judging by my experiences selling / supporting
> computers in Canada, where Windows has multiple input languages
> installed by default and also no feedback when they are switched
> between).
> It's also bad for people who are actually using the layout change
> shortcut intentionally. There are four different keyboard layouts that
> can be switched between at any time. How is the user supposed to know
> which one he has selected?! (Granted, he could add the Keyboard
> Indicator applet, but that isn't readily obvious).
> 
> I tried to solve the problem with a simple notification bubble that
> appears when the keyboard layout is changed. Some work could still be
> done, but it's a fine proof of concept at least. What are your thoughts
> on this?
> 
> Here a screenshot:
> http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/3484/keyboardlayoutnotificia.jpg
> 
> Is it on the right track? Suggestions, etc. would be great :)

I like it.  How detailed does it get regarding what layout you've switched to? 
I used to use the Keyboard Indicator Applet to switch between US and US 
International.  That was really annoying because it showed the same thing (a 
US flag) for both...which isn't much of an indication.  So would yours specify 
which US layout was in use in that case?

-- 
Mackenzie Morgan
http://ubuntulinuxtipstricks.blogspot.com
apt-get moo
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