Comment 10 for bug 430745

While I partly agree with you, you're the first person that I know that didn't find the rotate and skew controls by himself (in several years of treating dozens and dozens of Inkscape developers and users). You've to keep in mind that UI is a compromise of functionalities for the average user not for particular user cases and thus I think the current system is good. Every now and then I find bug reports that ask for things that go against the currently established paradigm of tools that Inkscape uses in --I think-- a consistent way.

There is nothing wrong with proposing new things and I don't want to refrain people from voicing their opinions by saying this, but lack of understanding of how the app works sometimes leads to bug reports of "selfish" nature, those that only satisfies the needs of a particular user without being aware of the needs of the average user or the usability and design targets that the developers had set a long time ago. For instance, you're mixing the lattice deformation with the skew controls with the scale and rotate controls. This has several problems:
1- The lattice deform already exists and it will be implemented as an LPE, which is an effect controlled with the node tool. Mixing controls of the selector tool (skew) with those of the node tool (lattice) isn't not consistent and a bad idea IMHO.
2- Mixing the rotation and scale handles is a bad idea IMHO. I think I would be hitting the wrong handle because of its proximity.
3- Users who want to use the lattice don't necessarily want to skew things and viceversa. So by "simplifying" things you're actually making them more bloated for people who just want to do one thing.
4- With your system you're leaving behind the vertical skew handles. What about users who want that?
5- Skew, rotation and scaling are transformations that depend on a center. In the current system the center can be controlled while in the skew and rotate mode. You left that out.
6- Your system needs an extra keystroke (L). How do you plan to make that evident to the user? (And now don't tell me that you plan to tell the user to read the manual! ;)).

By the way, how did you rotate objects before?

> The interface should be self teaching. <-- and this isn't a new concept.
It already is. Look at the status bar message: "Click selection to toggle scale/rotation handles". While this principle is true, it shouldn't be a way to scapegoat the UI at first chance. Even the best UIs require some effort from the user. In Inkscape's defence I've to say that it only requires you to read the status bar.

> Yeah, I missed that one--and I've been using inkscape for a long time--
How long exactly? Might I invite you to take a little more time to experiment with Inkscape? And how old are you? and what's your previous experience with computers? I ask this because I can't picture your needs without hearing a bit about your past computer experiences. There is a project --that develops really slowly-- called Kidscape, which is Inkscape for kids. The aim is to offer a parallel working UI for kids and/or people who just want an easier/simpler interface. Your idea of collapsing rotating and scale handles in one tool might be worth in that scope.

Regards.