More Direct User Interface (for V4)

Comodo Internet Security - CIS Added/Rejected Wishes - CIS
1

WARNING: Reject or support the idea based on the description immediately below - not on the pictures.

PROBLEM:
The Comodo IS interface is messy, inconsistent, and needlessly deep. This is even more true in version 4. Now, to edit My Network Zones, you must navigate three sets of tabs, and one child window titled and described in no way relating it to My Network Zones. All this clicking and moving around is inefficient and tedious. It’s UI gymnastics. And in all honesty, the division between “common” and “advanced” tasks seems rather arbitrary.

SOLUTION:
NO MORE BURIED SETTINGS - an advanced mode in which every window and tab is one click from it’s respective Comodo IS component.

Before: Firewall > Advanced > Network Security Policy > My Network Zones
After: Firewall > My Network Zones

Before: Defense + > Common Tasks > My Protected Files > Groups
After: Defense + > My File Groups

Before: Defense + > Advanced > Computer Security Policy > Close > Common Tasks > My Protected Files > Groups > Close > Close > Advanced > Computer Security Policy
After: Defense + > Computer Security Policy > Close > My File Groups > Close > Computer Security Policy

WARNING: Beyond this point, a specific and detailed solution is worked out. If you find it confusing, then support or reject my idea based on the above - not what’s below. Constructive criticism, however, is welcome on anything. The solutions below require that you view the pictures they reference in order to understand them.

Image - Unburied001.png:

  • Advanced mode uses tree navigation. Everything starts out expanded - since everything easily fits.
  • The tree is organized thematically, with icons for easy and sensible navigation.
  • When nothing on the (firewall) tree is selected, the right pane shows active firewall connections.

Image - Unburied002.png:

  • When an item on the tree is highlighted, the right pane shows descriptions and tips similar to the way Autocad shows you help tips when you mouse over elements on its ribbon UI.

Image - Unburied003.png:

  • Clicking on an item in the tree opens its respective child window - just like Comodo IS is now.

Image - Unburied004.png:

  • This system preserves the current tab system in the Network Security Policy window. Clicking on My Network Zones on the tree jumps you directly to the My Network Zones tab.

Pictures of Defense + and more Tree features are below in my next post.

Disclaimers and Notes:

  1. This thread is a remake of an older thread. It is an attempt to try and re-present the idea in a more palatable fashion, and adjust it for Comodo IS 4. It was unclear, in the last thread, whether people thought the solution was confusing, or whether people thought the solution would net confusing usability.

  2. Polling is now turned off as people like to leave critical votes without constructive posts.

  3. The icons used are obviously just borrowed from what already exist. I do not intend for those to be THE icons.

  4. My particular settings are blue-ed out to prevent people from thinking I’m suggesting everyone adopt my settings.

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2

i like that, i couldnt find everything then.

i think all should be like that.

and i do agree the current is messy.

3

Thank you for the support! :slight_smile:

In the spirit of things, I’ve knocked out three more images, this time for Defense+.

Image - Unburied005.png:

  • When nothing is selected the right pane shows Active System Processes by default.
  • A little tip shows at the bottom, explaining one way in which the tree can be managed.

Image - Unburied006.png:

  • I’ve added a border to the “tip” on the description.

Image - Unburied007.png:

  • Here is what the tree could look like with a few of the groups minimized.

I also think it might be nice to allow custom ordering of the groups in the tree by holding down the mouse on a group icon and dragging. For instance I almost never edit My Protected Registry Keys, COM Interfaces, or Files, so I could drag that group down to the bottom of the tree and then be able to see Advanced Policies without scrolling.

Obviously, when the user vertically resizes the window to make it bigger, more of the tree should be visible, reducing the need for scrolling. Not much is actually off the screen on my images. The scroll bars are deceptive.

[attachment deleted by admin]

4

Some interesting ideas. I’ve been wondering why it takes two clicks to get to the logs, seems completely unnecessary.

I thought there was some thread on here about usability, but I can’t fine it now.

One thing I would add, stop using fixed child window sizes. With this new bug/feature its impossible to edit firewall rules in a window that won’t resize.