The mailing list for users of the eduroam Configuration Assistant Tool (CAT)

[Tomasz Wolniewicz <twoln AT umk.pl>]

Hi,
Being the designer of the UI it is not that nice to hear that, but
frankly I realise that the interface could be really improved and I am
more then open to move forward in this direction. Perhaps, replacing the
mobile interface would be a good starting point. I will happily discuss
why the current GUI works the way it does and what functionality should
be preserved.

Why don't we start by discussing why organisations/NROs think CAT does
not meet their needs. With over 2.5mln of user downloads we cannot be
doing all bad.

I suggest we restrict the discussion to the user interface. The admin
interface has a limited audience and there it is more important what we
can do with it then how this is done, it would be also much harder to
change.

If we want to go forward then we need clear statements.

The first one is that the interface is ugly - no need to explain, but
there is space for discussion of what user group should it address,
should it be plain and simple or perhaps more flashy. Should it be a
starting point also for the admins, or should we have a separate page
for them? Can it have a different installer selection process? Is the
welcome message a good thin to have or should we skip that?

The second is that the interface is confusing - after those 2.5mln of
user downloads this is the first time I hear that the interface is
confusing or that someone would find it so strange that they would not
trust it. Actually this last one, basing trust on a site on its looks is
somewhat strange in itself :). Therefore please explain.

Cheers
Tomasz




W dniu 04.11.2015 o 21:21, Metselaar Jasper pisze:
> This discussion has become an interesting one. :-)
>
> The best solution, in my humble opinion, would be a central CAT site. 
> But the main reason that other configuration sites pop up is because the 
> design of the official site is not very intuitive and confusing for end 
> users. Especially the mobile version is confusing and I have heard quite a 
> few users saying that they would not trust that site.
> My guess is that, if the official CAT site would be more attractive, with a 
> easy to use (end user)interface, there wouldn't be a need for most of the 
> "local" implementations.
>
> Personally I don't think there are many organizations/NROs that want to 
> create, host or maintain a CAT site just because they can. They probably 
> started their own CAT site because the official CAT site doesn't meet their 
> needs.
>
> /Jasper
>
> -----Ursprungligt meddelande-----
> Från: Tomasz Wolniewicz 
> [mailto:twoln AT umk.pl]
>  
> Skickat: den 4 november 2015 20:12
> Till: 
> A.L.M.Buxey AT lboro.ac.uk
> Kopia: 
> cat-users AT geant.net
> Ämne: Re: [cat-users] CAT website design and Swedish translation?
>
> Hi Alan,
>
> W dniu 04.11.2015 o 19:38, 
> A.L.M.Buxey AT lboro.ac.uk
>  pisze:
>> so, how about this - each NRO can host such an interface but they are 
>> ONLY able to present their orgs in the list ?
> Yes but what about foreign visitors, which place will they go?  Will it be 
> obvious that they should go to their country federation?
> Are we not loosing the functionality of a single full IdP listing?
>
> I see not problem in completely separating the CAT back-end and the user 
> front-end. The current approach already implements this to a very large 
> extent. Refactoring the code so that you would have a separate installation 
> for the front-end and for the back-end would not be a big job.
>
> As the CAT developer I am quite happy with any new challenge, and 
> distributed, configurable user interface would be just that, but as the 
> eduroam advocate I am worried about our unity. What I cannot comprehend is 
> why we cannot agree that as we promote the single eduroam as an 
> international cooperation symbol, we cannot agree on using a single 
> configuration site. And what next, are we going to have a separate Android 
> eduroamCAT for each federation? By separating the access sites we will also 
> lose the common place where user come with their ideas, be it a complaint 
> about the UI being ugly :).
>
>
> Tomasz
>

-- 
Tomasz Wolniewicz    
          
twoln AT umk.pl
        http://www.home.umk.pl/~twoln

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