Re: [Usability] Decision: instant apply window buttons

[George <jirka 5z com>]

(Hmmm, must have missed the original message or something)

> >There have been two primary objections to this approach:
> >  1) Users will be confused and not be sure how to dismiss the dialog
> >  2) Some window managers / themes will not have close buttons

3) Accessibility
4) Being able to TAB to the close button
5) Users do not seem confused by the presence of 'Done'/'OK'/'Close' (or
   whatever you call it) button, which was the reason to get rid of it

> >1) I was concerned about this too and decided to conduct a small user
> >test to see if this was a problem. The basic conclusion of the test was
> >that users did not have serious problems with buttonless instant apply
> >windows. Most didn't even notice. See the "Usability Test" at the bottom
> >of this message for more detailed information on the user testing.
> >
> >2) The "Window Manager" is responsible for managing windows. Should we
> >try to make GNOME accomodate broken window managers who have no resize
> >mechanism, or don't draw window borders correctly, by adding resize
> >handles inside GtkWindow? I would hope that everyone agrees we should
> >not. I think the situation with the close button is similar. Window
> >managers or themes that do not provide a mechanism for closing windows
> >are broken: they are not doing the job of managing windows adequately.
> >Furthermore, we need a standard keystroke for dismissing windows anyway,
> >which should work on instant apply windows too. I'm guessing that users
> >who use a window manager without a close button are primarily using
> >keystrokes anyway.

^^^ Slippery slope argument

Note on the test:

It tests only one side, that people do not seem to have serious usability
trouble with missing 'Close' button.  Though 2 out of 7 had some trouble.
In any case.  What we are doing is REMOVING a button, shouldn't we do a
comparative test?  That is, we have no data on the reverse, if people are
confused with a close (better 'Done') button existing.

George

-- 
George <jirka 5z com>
   Man will occasionally stumble over the truth, 
   but most times he will pick himself up and carry on.
                       -- Winston Churchill