Bug 128515 - reorganise templates provided by default in LibreOffice
Summary: reorganise templates provided by default in LibreOffice
Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: LibreOffice (show other bugs)
Version:
(earliest affected)
unspecified
Hardware: All All
: medium enhancement
Assignee: Not Assigned
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords: needsUXEval
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2019-10-31 16:37 UTC by mirko.pieropan
Modified: 2020-07-21 11:42 UTC (History)
1 user (show)

See Also:
Crash report or crash signature:


Attachments
LO user interface (initial screen) mockup (1.14 MB, application/pdf)
2020-07-17 20:02 UTC, mirko.pieropan
Details
template choice window (304.44 KB, image/png)
2020-07-20 12:10 UTC, mirko.pieropan
Details

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Description mirko.pieropan 2019-10-31 16:37:45 UTC
Description:
LibreOffice provides a certain set of preselected templates.
Most of them are not very attractive or useful (especially in a professional setting). We might want to change the templates that are provided by default when the user installs LibreOffice in order to make it more attractive to current and new users. This will involve making a proposal and collecting votes from current users.

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Open LibreOffice
2. Select Templates

Actual Results:
You see the current choice of default templates

Expected Results:
We might want to "rethink" the kind of templates we want the user to see when opening LibreOffice


Reproducible: Always


User Profile Reset: No



Additional Info:
I'm specifically thinking about Writer and Impress at the moment
Comment 1 mirko.pieropan 2019-11-07 09:04:50 UTC
One thing that could speed up the process might be to call a "template challenge" where users can submit their own templates and vote those they like most or think would be most useful. We could advertise the challenge on the LO website, set a deadline for submission, publish the templates on the website and have a way to let users vote these templates. We should think about categories for templates such as CV, Cover letter, flyer, Marketing presentation, Scientific presentation, Scientific poster, etc. and invite submissions for those categories.
Is there a way to prevent users from voting the same template more than once?
The LibreOffice QA team could then discuss the resulting template "ranking" if needed.
Comment 2 mirko.pieropan 2019-11-14 13:02:22 UTC
A template for printable bookmarks too!
Comment 3 Adalbert Hanßen 2020-04-11 11:50:12 UTC
In addition I would like to have the styles sorted lexicographically in the box from which I can select them. Their order always surprises me, I see no logic in them.
Comment 4 Buovjaga 2020-06-19 15:44:33 UTC
Andreas Kainz has done a ton of work with templates recently.

Mirko: please investigate with a fresh master build, if your request still makes sense. If you still have some wishes, please make them very clear and concrete. Your current request does not fulfill the requirements of a report.
Comment 5 mirko.pieropan 2020-07-17 20:02:25 UTC
Created attachment 163206 [details]
LO user interface (initial screen) mockup

First of all, I'd like to see something like the mockup I'm attaching. Templates can be accessed from the LibreOffice app that one wishes to use (we don't want to mix all templates from different apps together!). Then since Andreas has created the 16:9 versions of several 4:3 templates in LO, we could ask the user to filter the templates by this criterion as seen on the second page of the pdf (which is actually taken from Keynotes, so perhaps it should be done a little bit differently), either in the right side of the initial window of LibreOffice or in a new window where the user is asked to select the template. Secondly, and this does not have anything to do with the mockup, most available templates are not something that I would personally use as I don't personally like it (and I haven't seen anyone use them to be honest, most people use a blank document), so I was suggesting to somehow encourage users to create and submit their own templates (Resume templates, Cover letter templates, Presentation templates) and to select the most useful/better looking ones in order to include them in one of the next releases of LO.
Comment 6 QA Administrators 2020-07-18 03:40:50 UTC Comment hidden (obsolete)
Comment 7 Heiko Tietze 2020-07-20 08:37:24 UTC
(In reply to mirko.pieropan from comment #1)
> One thing that could speed up the process might be to call a "template
> challenge" where users can submit their own templates and vote...

All templates have been submitted by users replying to such contests we run back in v5.3f. Mostly Impress, of course.

(In reply to mirko.pieropan from comment #5)
> (we don't want to mix all templates from different apps together!). 

LibreOffice does this all-in-one by design. And in the start center you can start all modules.

> filter the templates by this criterion (16:9)

We discussed the start center in detail and decided to not have file browser features there. It makes also not much sense to limit the templates as Impress provides a format switch.

> most available templates are not something that I
> would personally use as I don't personally like it (and I haven't seen
> anyone use them to be honest, most people use a blank document), so I was
> suggesting to somehow encourage users to create and submit their own
> templates (Resume templates, Cover letter templates, Presentation templates)
> and to select the most useful/better looking ones in order to include them
> in one of the next releases of LO.

That's what the extensions site is meant for.


Putting all together => WF.
Comment 8 mirko.pieropan 2020-07-20 12:10:06 UTC
Created attachment 163315 [details]
template choice window
Comment 9 mirko.pieropan 2020-07-20 12:19:11 UTC
> We discussed the start center in detail and decided to not have file browser features there. It makes also not much sense to limit the templates as Impress provides a format switch.

Not even here? (See attached image) To do the format switch one needs to go to Slide -> Properties... Why not making it more intuitive and quick and let the user decide that before starting to draft their presentation? 

> That's what the extensions site is meant for.

I get it, but I think the templates that LO features by default should be the most useful ones currently available, so that they are just ready to use without forcing the user search for alternative ones elsewhere. At least, that's my opinion.
Comment 10 Heiko Tietze 2020-07-21 11:42:00 UTC
(In reply to mirko.pieropan from comment #9)
> To do the format switch one needs to go to Slide -> Properties... 

It's the first dropdown in the sidebar (Properties deck).

> I get it, but I think the templates that LO features by default should be
> the most useful ones currently available...

Sure, and we can discuss concrete issues or proposals like "Blueprint Plan" is not working because... and I suggest to add "My Fancy Ponyhof" as prototype for...

Resolving the "reorganize" ticket as WF; feel free to reopen if you disagree or want more opinions.