I like some of the recent changes to NCC and did some mock-ups how e can take it to the next level.
1) I don't see a need for "accounts" or "settings" to be on the left hand column. "Accounts" can be deleted, and "Settings" moved. We deal with accounts already above the feature list in the left hand column, and we have a different place in the top right hand side of the client for settings where new sections for "language" and "server" can be added.
I did some mock-ups to reflected kind of how I can think this would look.
2) I would really like to have a new feature added to NCC. It takes a little while for it to load blocks and sync the chain now, and that is time that I am not using the client. I think it would be nice if there was a white list of 50 or more known stable nodes (this would be especially easy when node rewards are in progress but we already have enough I think now). A random node can be chosen from the white list and NCC try to connect to it immediately on start as a remote NIS. Meanwhile a person's local chain would still be loading and syncing and once it is ready, then NCC will switch from the remote chain to the local chain.
I also put this in the mock-up of how I think it could look. There would be a check box for if people wanted to opt-in to quick start (and it would be checked by default) and even an arrow so that they could view the white list and choose which one they wanted if they so desired. 
This is a really great idea and would enhance usability tremendously! 
Yes, I've been thinking about some sort of thin client for a while and I'd make it a seperate build.
Have two things you offer to download:
Thin Client (recommended for the non-techies): NCC only, Automatically chooses a public node (nodes can opt-in to be on that list) and everything "just works" from the users perspective
Full Client (recommended for everyone else): NCC + NIS as right now.
Make it look nice on the website and and explain their purposes very clearly on the website and 90% of the newbies struggle just goes away.
Yes, I've been thinking about some sort of thin client for a while and I'd make it a seperate build.
Have two things you offer to download:
Thin Client (recommended for the non-techies): NCC only, Automatically chooses a public node (nodes can opt-in to be on that list) and everything "just works" from the users perspective
Full Client (recommended for everyone else): NCC + NIS as right now.
Make it look nice on the website and and explain their purposes very clearly on the website and 90% of the newbies struggle just goes away.
I'm also hoping somebody will make a thin client. It should be pretty straight forward I think. NCC is open sourced, all the nodes IPs are known, so all a person has to do is make an installer that kickstarts NCC, picks a node from the whitelist, and loads up a cleaned up interface.