Enhancement: Make "Keyboard settings" (keyboard layout) easier accessible

notebook notebook22312 at gmail.com
Mon Dec 2 04:51:49 UTC 2019


Dear Developer Group:

In the following I'd like to suggest a change in the display of "keyboard layout settings". This suggestion aims at an easier user interface regarding keyboard layout settings.

Current Situation:
===================
(1) Keyboard layout can be set in "Region & Language". The wording "Region & Language" does not suggest "keyboard settings".
(2) Typing "Keyboard" in "Show Applications":
(2.1) gives "Input Method" as first and only big result. The real keyboard settings are within the smaller printed results below.
(2.2) The icon of "Input Method" is a keyboard. It suggests, that keyboard settings (including layout) can be made here.
(2.3) The naming of "Input Method" is "Input Method". The user might expect this to contain keyboard layout settings.
(2.4) Opening "Input Method" results in a row of dialogs only a technical user can understand.


Suggestion:
===========
(3) Typing "Keyboard" brings up "keyboard settings" as first (defaultly selected) item.
That item could be a link to "Region & Language", where the keyboard setting is done.

(4) (Maybe) Rename "Input Method" to something like "Input System"
(5) (Maybe) Change the icon of "Input Method": Add (e.g.) a gear to the icon. Something, that makes it look more technical/advance. The current keyboard icon suggests, that keyboard settings can be made here.
(6) (Maybe) Extract keyboard (layout) settings:
In Settings, create a new Item "Keyboard" and place it above "Region & Language".


Appendix A: Scenario with current implementation
==================================================
The following is a scenario that happend. To make it easier to understand I'll write it in the first person ("I") form.

I have a fresh Ubuntu 19.10 installation. Unfortunately the keyboard layout is wrong. I'd like to adjust it. This is what I do.

(1) Click "Show Applications"
(2) Type in "keyboard"
(3) "Input Method" appears on the screen.
(4) I hit enter.
(5) A dialog appears with a lot of text. Strange stuff I don't understand.
(6) I click "OK". (hoping it will bring me to the keyboard settings)
(7) A new dialog shows me "it is recommended to click 'NO'"
(8) I click "No" (If it recommends so, I think I should follow)
(9) Again a dialog with a bunch of text I didn't ask for is shown. The text is  very confusing
(10) I click OK again.
(11) A new dialog shows me "it is recommended to click 'NO'" (again)
(12) I click "No"
(13) Again the dialog with a lot of confusing words.
(14) I'm very confused and click "Cancel".
(15) The dialog closes. No new dialogs appear.
(16) The keyboard layout is still the same (wrong) one.
(17) I don't know what to do and ask for help.


Regards
DarkTrick




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