Re: Comments on Style Guide

[Marko Macek <Marko Macek snet fri uni-lj si>]

Paul Hepworth wrote:
> > The "Cancel" button, in this context, actually performs a
> > "Restore" function. It should be grayed out (i.e. disabled)
> > whenever there isn't currently any original state to be restored,
> > that is, at the beginning and immediately after "Cancel" is pressed.
> >
> It doesn't cancel, as you said, it restores.  It's appropriate name is
> "Undo" or "Restore" not "Cancel."  My preference is "Undo."
> 
> There is a very good discussion of that metaphor at the Interface
> Hall of Fame/Shame at
> 
>   <http://www.iarchitect.com/msoft.htm#MSOFT8>.
> 
> Nice reference!  I agree with the comments here.  We should avoid
> "Apply" in favor of "Preview" and "Commit."

Just an idea from OS/2:

For configuration dialogs that configure easily reversible stuff
it uses only Undo and Defaults buttons. All actions on controls take 
effect immediatelly and don't cancel when window is closed. There
is no OK or Apply button. Also, dialogs are not modal (modal dialogs 
should really be avoided). Undo only takes effect until the dialog
is closed (not after it is reopened).

It is perhaps slightly weird to people used to OK/Cancel, but 
when you get used to it, it works very well and feels natural.

For things that would be hard to reverse (format :-), classic
OK/Cancel is used.

BTW: It would be really great if the computer could undo any
operation (there should be an undo knob on the front of the
case ;-)

Mark
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Marko.Macek@snet.fri.uni-lj.si      http://ixtas.fri.uni-lj.si/~markom/