Re: [Usability] Disclosure triangles

[Liam Quin <liam holoweb net>]

On Sat, Dec 29, 2001 at 04:12:49PM +1100, Jeff Waugh wrote:
> Here is a pic of Jim Cape's most excellent GnomeChat dialogues:
>   http://jimbob.myip.org/sshots/2001_10_08_171943_shot.jpg
> 
> Lumpy arrow, good labels. Thoughts?

I would like to be able to click anywhere on "more information".
Actually I'd prefer a button that said "more information..."

Why should I have to fiddle around trying to click on some tiny triangle
when there's all that space used for the label?

The tree triangles in Mozilla, I hate with a passion -- I am never sure
what, if anything, clicking on one will do, and I don't remember whether
I need to single or double click, and there's no feedback (busy cursor, etc)
to show I've clicked.  Tree triangles on the mac I can usally deal with,
although it's not obvious which shape means "click to expand more" and
which means" things are hidden" and which means "nothing more here".

But if I can click on the label next to the triangle, it's no longer a
nightmare in clicking a tenth-of-an-inch-across control that doesn't even
look pressed or highlight when the mouse is over it.

The "Less information" triangle is odd in the screenshot referenced above.
The triangle should point upwards, to sho that the extra info will be hidden.

Better would be
    "show details..."
and
    "hide details"
I think.

KDE's ppp dialer has a "details" button that brings up a new window, but
that window hasa "close" button, worrying becuse you are not sure if it
means close the window or close the connection!

Best,

Liam

-- 
Liam Quin - XML Core staff contact, W3C, http://www.w3.org/People/Quin/
Ankh: irc.sorcery.net www.valinor.sorcery.net irc.gnome.org www.advogato.org
Author, Open Source XML Database Toolkit, Wiley August 2000
Co-author: The XML Specification Guide, Wiley 1999; Mastering XML, Sybex 2001