Difference between revisions of "Competitor Analysis"
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| Thoughts | | Thoughts | ||
| colspan="5" | | | colspan="5" | | ||
− | I'd say the | + | I'd say the Zoho MenuTab as well as MS ribbon are most interesting quick-access interfaces of the pack. Ribbon provides one central place to browse through, provides the most common options right up front (except for the Insert options), but it does suffer a bit from slight illogical organization and lack of flexibility (no vertical interface, previously also lack of customizability). Zoho MenuTab UI combines tab-like approach of ribbon with traditional menu. This makes it familiar and easy to use for most users. The inspector palettes in iWork and Mac:Office are good contenders for a useable vertical interface, but both have their share of disadvantages. For example, the fact that they are floating means that they can hide portions of the document. The MS Toolbox is overstuffed with features, as the tools that iWork spreads out nicely in the Inspector are crammed into one tab in the MS Toolbox. Both also suffer from unclear tab icons. |
+ | |||
+ | '''There are legal issues with ribbon interface'''. Microsoft has started the process of acquiring a patent on the ribbon user interface concept and licenses the ribbon design to third-party developers royalty-free if their product does not compete with MS Office. This means that there is no way ribbon can be used in OpenOffice. | ||
+ | |||
|- valign="top" | |- valign="top" | ||
| '''Scrolling''' | | '''Scrolling''' | ||
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| Scrolls within the slide only | | Scrolls within the slide only | ||
| No scrolling by default (the zoom changes as the window is resized), but, with zoom, one can scroll the slide only | | No scrolling by default (the zoom changes as the window is resized), but, with zoom, one can scroll the slide only | ||
+ | | No scrolling by default | ||
|- style="background:#FFFFDD; font-style:italic" valign="top" | |- style="background:#FFFFDD; font-style:italic" valign="top" | ||
| Thoughts | | Thoughts | ||
− | | colspan=" | + | | colspan="5" | |
None of these behaviors is ideal or consistent with other applications in the suite (no option allows two slides to be shown at once) for no good reason, but the MS PowerPoint behavior is preferrable over the others. | None of these behaviors is ideal or consistent with other applications in the suite (no option allows two slides to be shown at once) for no good reason, but the MS PowerPoint behavior is preferrable over the others. | ||
|- valign="top" | |- valign="top" | ||
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* Free movement | * Free movement | ||
* No way to rotate the frame | * No way to rotate the frame | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | *Single click to edit | ||
+ | *Click on border and drag to move the frame | ||
+ | *Live preview when resizing or moving | ||
+ | *Doesn't show guides | ||
+ | *Free movement | ||
+ | *No way to rotate the frame | ||
+ | |||
|- style="background:#FFFFDD; font-style:italic" valign="top" | |- style="background:#FFFFDD; font-style:italic" valign="top" | ||
| Thoughts | | Thoughts | ||
− | | colspan=" | + | | colspan="5" | |
Moving items in Keynote is a pleasure, due to the reasons listed above and the fact that the user doesn't have to struggle to select the textbox (it's one click anywhere on the textbox, as, unlike its competitors, double-clicking is required to edit it). This is definitely something OOo should take note of. | Moving items in Keynote is a pleasure, due to the reasons listed above and the fact that the user doesn't have to struggle to select the textbox (it's one click anywhere on the textbox, as, unlike its competitors, double-clicking is required to edit it). This is definitely something OOo should take note of. | ||
|- valign="top" | |- valign="top" | ||
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* Inserted and managed through a toolbar button | * Inserted and managed through a toolbar button | ||
* In Google Docs (both the presentation and the document editor), two consecutive "enters" move the list to the superior level, and when there are no more, end the list | * In Google Docs (both the presentation and the document editor), two consecutive "enters" move the list to the superior level, and when there are no more, end the list | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | *Inserted and managed through a toolbar buttons | ||
|- style="background:#FFFFDD; font-style:italic" valign="top" | |- style="background:#FFFFDD; font-style:italic" valign="top" | ||
| Thoughts | | Thoughts | ||
− | | colspan=" | + | | colspan="5" | |
None of these behaviors seem to be completely logical or expected. Google Docs at least maintains consistency across its suite's applications, but uses the strange behavior of enter, where, instead of giving new blank lines each time, as it does with non-bulleted indented lists, the indent is decreased. | None of these behaviors seem to be completely logical or expected. Google Docs at least maintains consistency across its suite's applications, but uses the strange behavior of enter, where, instead of giving new blank lines each time, as it does with non-bulleted indented lists, the indent is decreased. | ||
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* '''Auto-Correction''' | * '''Auto-Correction''' | ||
* Shortcuts can be customized for any Mac OS X application under System Preferences | * Shortcuts can be customized for any Mac OS X application under System Preferences | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | * No customization | ||
| | | | ||
* No customization | * No customization | ||
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| Same as its Windows counterpart. | | Same as its Windows counterpart. | ||
| Split into two Edit options: "Paste" and "Paste and match style". | | Split into two Edit options: "Paste" and "Paste and match style". | ||
+ | | No paste special | ||
| No paste special | | No paste special | ||
|- style="background:#FFFFDD; font-style:italic" valign="top" | |- style="background:#FFFFDD; font-style:italic" valign="top" | ||
| Thoughts | | Thoughts | ||
− | | colspan=" | + | | colspan="5" | |
Microsoft's implementation of paste special seems the best, as it allows the user to use the Command/Ctrl+V shortcut and then decide how it is pasted. | Microsoft's implementation of paste special seems the best, as it allows the user to use the Command/Ctrl+V shortcut and then decide how it is pasted. | ||
|- valign="top" | |- valign="top" | ||
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| * Unrestricted positioning (but no live preview) | | * Unrestricted positioning (but no live preview) | ||
* No extra features except arrangement tools under the "Arrange" menu | * No extra features except arrangement tools under the "Arrange" menu | ||
+ | | * Unrestricted positioning (but no live preview) | ||
+ | * No extra features except alligment selection from image properties | ||
|- style="background:#FFFFDD; font-style:italic" valign="top" | |- style="background:#FFFFDD; font-style:italic" valign="top" | ||
| Thoughts | | Thoughts | ||
− | | colspan=" | + | | colspan="5" | |
The "Metrics" tab in iWork and the "Image adjustments" palette are wonderfully simple and straightforward while retaining a number of features. The best transparency feature seems to be in the planned Office 14 [http://www.beingmanan.com/wp/2009/05/office-2010-new-features/], where one can specify by drawing lines over the places the selection should include and different lines over the places it shouldn't, all with live preview that highlights in purple the areas to be removed. | The "Metrics" tab in iWork and the "Image adjustments" palette are wonderfully simple and straightforward while retaining a number of features. The best transparency feature seems to be in the planned Office 14 [http://www.beingmanan.com/wp/2009/05/office-2010-new-features/], where one can specify by drawing lines over the places the selection should include and different lines over the places it shouldn't, all with live preview that highlights in purple the areas to be removed. | ||
|- valign="top" | |- valign="top" | ||
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| | | | ||
* No compatibility warnings, it seems. | * No compatibility warnings, it seems. | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | * No compatibility warnings. There is a separate plugin to publish documents from Microsoft Office to online storage. | ||
|- valign="top" | |- valign="top" | ||
| '''Slide show''' | | '''Slide show''' | ||
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** The URL of the presentation | ** The URL of the presentation | ||
** A "View together" button, which provides a URL for presenting it online and a chat window for chatting with the audience | ** A "View together" button, which provides a URL for presenting it online and a chat window for chatting with the audience | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | *A Start slideshow toolbar button | ||
|- valign="top" | |- valign="top" | ||
| '''Collaboration''' | | '''Collaboration''' | ||
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* A publish/embed option is available, along with the classic e-mail option | * A publish/embed option is available, along with the classic e-mail option | ||
* Chat available in slide show, but not during editing | * Chat available in slide show, but not during editing | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | *Benefits from being an online service (offline mode is available) | ||
+ | *Can be simultaneously edited | ||
+ | *People can be invited to be edited or viewers | ||
+ | *A publish/share/send options are available, along with the classic e-mail option | ||
+ | *Chat available during editing | ||
|- style="background:#FFFFDD; font-style:italic" valign="top" | |- style="background:#FFFFDD; font-style:italic" valign="top" | ||
| Thoughts | | Thoughts | ||
− | | colspan=" | + | | colspan="5" | |
It's surprising that nobody really has built-in chat (except Google Docs, when viewing a presentation). I heard this was to change with MS Office 2010, but we'll see. Otherwise, Google Docs is the clear winner in this category, but that's because it's an online service. iWork begins to pave the way toward integration with online services, but ties with only its paid iWork.com and is sure to attract only a very tiny audience. This is also something Microsoft is working on -- they're about to introduce an online version of Office, and it's almost definitely going to integrate with Microsoft Office. We need to work on this if we want to stay a viable competitor. | It's surprising that nobody really has built-in chat (except Google Docs, when viewing a presentation). I heard this was to change with MS Office 2010, but we'll see. Otherwise, Google Docs is the clear winner in this category, but that's because it's an online service. iWork begins to pave the way toward integration with online services, but ties with only its paid iWork.com and is sure to attract only a very tiny audience. This is also something Microsoft is working on -- they're about to introduce an online version of Office, and it's almost definitely going to integrate with Microsoft Office. We need to work on this if we want to stay a viable competitor. | ||
|- valign="top" | |- valign="top" | ||
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| | | | ||
No obvious way to insert a table. Cells in tables in uploaded documents are changed to text boxes. | No obvious way to insert a table. Cells in tables in uploaded documents are changed to text boxes. | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | No obvious way to insert a table in Zoho Show. Insert Table action is available in Zoho Writer. | ||
+ | |||
|- style="background:#FFFFDD; font-style:italic" valign="top" | |- style="background:#FFFFDD; font-style:italic" valign="top" | ||
| Thoughts | | Thoughts | ||
− | | colspan=" | + | | colspan="5" | |
The "table grid" insert behavior seems to be the quickest and most comfortable. The Apple behavior in everything else (moving, selecting, etc.) seems to be easiest, most logical, and most comfortable. The differences between Keynote and Numbers have their own reasons and benefits. | The "table grid" insert behavior seems to be the quickest and most comfortable. The Apple behavior in everything else (moving, selecting, etc.) seems to be easiest, most logical, and most comfortable. The differences between Keynote and Numbers have their own reasons and benefits. | ||
|- valign="top" | |- valign="top" | ||
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** Start Transition (on click or automatic) | ** Start Transition (on click or automatic) | ||
** Delay | ** Delay | ||
+ | | | ||
+ | No transitions option. | ||
| | | | ||
No transitions option. | No transitions option. | ||
|} | |} | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | [[Category:User Experience Community]] |
Latest revision as of 14:30, 1 March 2011
The Office 2010 column may not be completely precise, as I have never used it, but trust in one of my friends, info from the net, and similarities with Office 2007 instead.
There's more to come. Or, if anybody wants to add these topics, go ahead: Installation, updating, Help, adding/removing slides, audio/video (setting audio to start/stop on slides, embedding and playing back a video), inserting images, creating templates, and downloading and working with language tools (grammar/spell checking). Also be sure to add your opinions to the "Thoughts" rows.
You can also add screenshots (be aware of copyright issues [1] [2], as Apple is particularly known for suing people who post unauthorized screenshots), other presentation applications, comments, links, and other things that could be useful. And feel free to correct me if I'm doing this wrong.
MS PowerPoint 2010 (an early build) | MS Powerpoint 2008 (Mac) | Apple Keynote '09 | Google Docs (as of June 2009) | Zoho Office | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Default UI overview
(the main interface is bolded) |
|
|
|
|
|
Thoughts |
I'd say the Zoho MenuTab as well as MS ribbon are most interesting quick-access interfaces of the pack. Ribbon provides one central place to browse through, provides the most common options right up front (except for the Insert options), but it does suffer a bit from slight illogical organization and lack of flexibility (no vertical interface, previously also lack of customizability). Zoho MenuTab UI combines tab-like approach of ribbon with traditional menu. This makes it familiar and easy to use for most users. The inspector palettes in iWork and Mac:Office are good contenders for a useable vertical interface, but both have their share of disadvantages. For example, the fact that they are floating means that they can hide portions of the document. The MS Toolbox is overstuffed with features, as the tools that iWork spreads out nicely in the Inspector are crammed into one tab in the MS Toolbox. Both also suffer from unclear tab icons. There are legal issues with ribbon interface. Microsoft has started the process of acquiring a patent on the ribbon user interface concept and licenses the ribbon design to third-party developers royalty-free if their product does not compete with MS Office. This means that there is no way ribbon can be used in OpenOffice. | ||||
Scrolling | Scrolls through slides, but doesn't show two slides at once | Behaves like its Windows counterpart | Scrolls within the slide only | No scrolling by default (the zoom changes as the window is resized), but, with zoom, one can scroll the slide only | No scrolling by default |
Thoughts |
None of these behaviors is ideal or consistent with other applications in the suite (no option allows two slides to be shown at once) for no good reason, but the MS PowerPoint behavior is preferrable over the others. | ||||
Dragging/editing textboxes |
|
Same as its Windows counterpart |
|
|
|
Thoughts |
Moving items in Keynote is a pleasure, due to the reasons listed above and the fact that the user doesn't have to struggle to select the textbox (it's one click anywhere on the textbox, as, unlike its competitors, double-clicking is required to edit it). This is definitely something OOo should take note of. | ||||
Lists |
|
Same as its Windows counterpart except:
|
|
|
|
Thoughts |
None of these behaviors seem to be completely logical or expected. Google Docs at least maintains consistency across its suite's applications, but uses the strange behavior of enter, where, instead of giving new blank lines each time, as it does with non-bulleted indented lists, the indent is decreased. Anyway, instead of repeating the same info over and over again, let me just say what I think we should have, based on logic:
| ||||
Customization |
More to come... |
|
|
|
|
Paste Special | A floating, contextual drop-down button, which presents three choices: "Keep Source Formatting," "Use Destination Theme," and "Keep Text Only" | Same as its Windows counterpart. | Split into two Edit options: "Paste" and "Paste and match style". | No paste special | No paste special |
Thoughts |
Microsoft's implementation of paste special seems the best, as it allows the user to use the Command/Ctrl+V shortcut and then decide how it is pasted. | ||||
Image manipulation |
|
|
|
* Unrestricted positioning (but no live preview)
|
* Unrestricted positioning (but no live preview)
|
Thoughts |
The "Metrics" tab in iWork and the "Image adjustments" palette are wonderfully simple and straightforward while retaining a number of features. The best transparency feature seems to be in the planned Office 14 [9], where one can specify by drawing lines over the places the selection should include and different lines over the places it shouldn't, all with live preview that highlights in purple the areas to be removed. | ||||
Compatibility checks |
|
|
|
|
|
Slide show |
|
|
|
|
|
Collaboration |
There's probably more. |
|
|
|
|
Thoughts |
It's surprising that nobody really has built-in chat (except Google Docs, when viewing a presentation). I heard this was to change with MS Office 2010, but we'll see. Otherwise, Google Docs is the clear winner in this category, but that's because it's an online service. iWork begins to pave the way toward integration with online services, but ties with only its paid iWork.com and is sure to attract only a very tiny audience. This is also something Microsoft is working on -- they're about to introduce an online version of Office, and it's almost definitely going to integrate with Microsoft Office. We need to work on this if we want to stay a viable competitor. | ||||
Tables |
Inserted through Insert>Table, which gives the "table insertion grid" as well as "Insert table...," "Draw table," and "Excel spreadsheet" options below the grid. The grid is 8-by-10 and doesn't expand beyond that. Selected, moved and resized with:
In Word:
|
Inserted through:
Selected, moved, and resized the same way as in Windows |
Inserted through:
Selected, moved, and resized with:
In Numbers:
|
No obvious way to insert a table. Cells in tables in uploaded documents are changed to text boxes. |
No obvious way to insert a table in Zoho Show. Insert Table action is available in Zoho Writer. |
Thoughts |
The "table grid" insert behavior seems to be the quickest and most comfortable. The Apple behavior in everything else (moving, selecting, etc.) seems to be easiest, most logical, and most comfortable. The differences between Keynote and Numbers have their own reasons and benefits. | ||||
Transitions |
|
|
|
No transitions option. |
No transitions option. |