[Boost-testing] 3rd try: Report usability

From: David Abrahams (dave_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-11-13 09:45:17

I first posted about this back in September and still have not seen a
reply.  This is my last attempt.

David Abrahams <dave_at_[hidden]> writes:

> Hi,
>
> On 13 September, David Abrahams <dave_at_[hidden]> posted
> this litany of complaints:
>
>> When I visit
>> http://engineering.meta-comm.com/boost-regression/CVS-RC_1_34_0/developer/index.html
>> and click the "Release View" link, I see that its purpose is
>>
>>    Provides Boost developers with visual indication of the CVS
>>    "health". For user-level report, see user summary.
>>
>> There are at least two problems with this:
>>
>> 1. When I click the "Full View" button I see the same message.  So the
>>    message does nothing to tell me what the difference is between the
>>    release view and the full view.
>>
>> 2. There is no link labelled "user summary" anywhere.  So what,
>>    exactly, am I supposed to click in order to "see user summary?"
>>
>> 3?  Isn't there supposed to be a table there?  Regardless, it's very
>>     very odd to see a page headed "Developer Report" that has... no
>>     report on it.
>>
>> 4?  IIUC, Full View/Release View are unlike any of the other links in
>>    that section of the left column, in that they switch "modes" rather
>>    than taking me to different reports.  Shouldn't this be visually
>>    distinct?  Maybe a pair of radio buttons, elswhere on the page?
>>    Wouldn't it be more descriptive just to have the buttons say
>>    something like
>>
>>       * show all tested compilers
>>       o show only "officially supported" compilers
>
> Was this posting missed?  I really think it's important to address the
> readability of our reports, since that's where I direct people when
> they ask "does Boost work with my compiler?"
>
> -- 
> Dave Abrahams
> Boost Consulting
> www.boost-consulting.com

-- 
Dave Abrahams
Boost Consulting
www.boost-consulting.com