Re: [Usability] Re: Button ordering



Alan Cox wrote:

http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=56331

To make the GTK+ standard dialogs button ordering conform to the gnome
usability project's dialog proposal.


Given that the current style and new style offer no reason for changing
I think the change is bad. I dread to think how people will feel running
mixed 1.4 and 2.0 environments on one screen, or switching between versions
at work/home.

Probably frustrated, annoyed with the software not aware of why

Alan

I do agree that the transition will suck, but I would much rather have it be fixed and stick with it. The longer we use the current mostly-undefined-sort-of-agreeing-on-windows style (not all apps do), the harder it will be to define a layout in the future. Either GNOME2 is a time of transition and we do it now, or we don't do it ever.

I disagree with the "offer no reason" part:

http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gup/proposals/dialog.html
"rationale: The eyes of people who read left-to-right tend towards the upper-left and lower-right corners of boxes. Therefore the action the user is most likely to perform should be located in the lower-right corner. With this button order, the action the user is most likely to perform is always in the same place and is always the most noticeable."

I guess that should be extended to state that therefore, a user can quickly know exactly where to position their mouse most of the time - since it should be their most likely action.

Now, whether the difference between having the affirmative button in the same place vs. having it in random places actually makes a difference, tests would probably have to be done on users comfortable with the Windows method vs. users comfortable with the Mac method. Afaik, the only rationale for the windows method was that it was different from the Mac method... and the only rationale for using it is that more people use windows. The question is really, is the initial learning curve too much for the benefits of always being able to click in the same place? As a matter of personal opinion, I think so. Of course, that means nothing.

Julian
--
email: julian jabber org
jabber:julian jabber org




[Date Prev][Date Next]   [Thread Prev][Thread Next]   [Thread Index] [Date Index] [Author Index]