Re: [Usability] Re: close icon is misleading



"non standard" buttons are typically better because they tell the user what action will be performed. Use of descriptive buttons rather than stock "ok", "cancel", "yes" and "no" buttons is highly recommended. Stock buttons force people to read and analyze the dialog's text more carefully, and when they won't mistakes are likely. Its slower and more error prone.

-Seth

On Sun, 14 Sep 2003 12:48PM -0800, Maxwell Terpstra wrote:
--From: Calum Benson <Calum Benson Sun COM>
 The main issue right now is that there are loads of
 buttons in dialogs that don't have icons ...
 IIRC it's also a bit of extra effort to make the
 icons on 'custom' buttons themable

Why are those so many different buttons in the first place? Why are custom buttons even allowed? It seems to me, there should be a standard set of buttons that do standard things, and if you want to do something else, you shouldn't use a button (for example, to chose how to handle a cookie, show a radio list of options, plus a standard "ok" button). By making a limited set of standardized buttons, you're not only solving the problem of unknown buttons without an icon, but, in my view, providing a more consistant interface which is easier to use. Can anyone give me an example of a situation that NEEDS to have a non-standard button? And if the cases are so few, couldn't these uses be standardized as well?

--From: Dan Zlotnikov <dzlotnik perpugilliam csclub uwaterloo ca>
 That advantage [of using icons] breaks down
 spectacularly when inappropriate icons are selected

which is why it should be a concern of the HIG..

 ... or a complex concept must be presented. Care to
 come up with an icon for "create new template"?

Most of the time, complex actions like this are not handled by a dialogue, but rather by a command structure in the program itself (ie. your example does not really apply, because - taking MS Word as an example - it would be an option in the "File" menu of the program). In all other cases of which I am aware, the complex action can and should be split into simplier components, which in the end include a simple, standardized button.

 the problem of finding an appropriate icon, one that
 will be appropriate to *all* levels of technical
 expertise, as well as *all* cultures and social
 context is far from trivial

You're absolutely right. It's something that will take a lot of time and consideration to put together, but I think it's well worth the effort.

--From: Rodney Dawes <dobey free fr>
 Perhaps images should be "translated" also. Then we
 would have different versions of images, for
 different languages, and the proper metaphors and
 contexts could be used

..and with a standard button set this would be trivial to do via theming.

--Maxwell Terpstra

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-Seth



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