Interface to Property Page odd?

[rameeti]

Is it just me or is the interface on the Main Property Page odd? It would seem so much more natural that the Label text would be fixed text, and the values that can be changed would be the link, pop down, check box, radio button or what have you.

It just seems so much more typical that a user should select what it is that they don't want to enable them to change that item.

Am I off base or is the present interface atyipical?

 

[Andrew @ Parallels]

This kind of GUI was discussed many times in Parallels internaly. The main goal is to separate editing VM configuration and running VM. Lifecycle of VM consist of two phases:

1. Initial VM creating, editing and tuning. For this propose Configuration Editor was designed and it is separated from Main Property sheet.
2. Day by day working with VM. User is not going to change anything and thus Main Property Sheet is read-only and protected from unintentionally changes.

 

[rameeti]

Link should be on the right, not on the label on the left

This kind of GUI was discussed many times in Parallels internaly. The main goal is to separate editing VM configuration and running VM. Lifecycle of VM consist of two phases:

1. Initial VM creating, editing and tuning. ...

2. Day by day working with VM. ...

My comment is NOT about what items appear on what pages or places.

My comment is that the hyperlink to click on needs to be on the value rather than the label. People should be looking for the label of the item that they want to change, and then clicking on the value that they want to show a different value. (Think a pop down and how you select the incorrect value to then select a different value. Or think a radio button where you select the value you want, or think a check box where you mark the value you want.

Never does the user select the label to modify a preference or choice.