Re: Mouse a11y tab

[Francesco Fumanti <francesco fumanti gmx net>]

At 5:47 PM +0100 11/18/07, Denis Washington wrote:
>  > - 'Dwell Click': What about 'Click By Software' to avoid the term
> >  Dwell to make it also understandable to non-initiated persons?
>
> My idea was to leave "Dwell Click" to have a short and easy to remember
> term for users. Those who don't know what it is will quickly get to know
> > from the first checkbox, which I as a user would read out of curiosity
> if I don't know the term.

'Click By Software' is also short and is understood without reading the
next option. I wonder whether the average user is as curious as you
are ;-) and continues reading the options instead of simply giving up!?

However, if you prefer 'Dwell Click', so let it be. :-)


>  > - 'Click automatically after stopping pointer movement': This is not
> >  accurate: in fact, in dwell click with mouse gestures, the click only
> >  happens if the user moves the pointer while the pointer is showing
> >  its 'trigger'-shape. Consequently, the click is not automatic in this
> >  mode. [b]
>
> My thought was that even if the actual click might be performed with a
> mouse gesture, the "trigger shape" state is still initiated by stopping
> pointer movement, so in the end it is also an "automatic click after
> stopping pointer movement".

You are right when you say that the "trigger shape" state is initiated
by stopping the pointer movement. But there is not necessarily also a
click each time the "trigger shape" appears.

In fact, the "trigger shape" only lasts for a little time and afterwards
the pointer returns to its normal shape. To perform a click after the
pointer has returned to its normal shape, the user has to move and stop
the pointer again to initiate a new cycle.

This is for example useful if the user wants to stop the pointer without
doing a click: he has only to keep the pointer motionless while it is
showing the "trigger shape". The following movement of the pointer will
not produce a click. (This is not possible when dwelling with click type
window is used: every stop of pointer that lasts longer as the predefined
delay produces a click.)

To make it short: the stopping of the pointer automatically initiates the
"trigger shape", but does not automatically produce the click. The
movement produces the click, but only if it is done during the time of
the "trigger shape".


>  > In fact, I prefer to distinguish the two dwell modes by the way the
> >  click is triggered (automatically by time vs by pointer movement),
> >  the choice of the click type coming only afterwards. I assume that a
> >  non-initiated user will first ask: "How do I click?" and only
> >  afterwards: "How can I select click type?" But I may also be wrong.
>
> As I said, I see both as a type of automatic click after pointer
> movement stops, so I actually also had this distinguation in mind. But
> maybe the wording could be made a slight bit better.

I wonder whether you were aware of the fact, that it is also possible
to stop the pointer without doing a click. If you were aware of it, I
will have to read your explanations again... :-)


>  > Finally, I am well aware that it is much easier to criticize than to
> >  produce the layouts; thus thanks again for the time you are putting
> >  into it.
>
> No problem. Likewise a appreciate your detailed and well-foundated
> critics. :)

Thanks. 8-)

Francesco