Re: [Usability] markup in the statusbar messages, why not?

[Frans Englich <frans englich telia com>]

On Monday 27 September 2004 16:10, Calum Benson wrote:
> On Mon, 2004-09-27 at 01:54, Alan Horkan wrote:
> > If there are reasons against using Markup on status bar messages (and if
> > anyone can find a specific refernce to it in the HIG) I would be
> > interested to hear that so as to help the Inkscape developer avoid any
> > problems or at least manage any known issues.
>
> I don't believe there's ever been a guideline to that effect in the
> HIG.
>
> To be honest I can't think of any huge arguments against it (other than
> the technical ones, like translation difficulties), in cases where it
> genuinely improved legibility, provided we had guidelines for regulating
> its usage.  However, I have to admit I can't think of any statusbar-type
> messages off the top of my head that would be improved by it; they
> shouldn't exactly be verbose.
>
> If the markup is just being used to try and draw attention to the
> message, though, that's a different matter-- if it's important to demand
> attention, then the status bar isn't the place for it.  (And I think
> there is a guideline somewhere that says that.)

Markup also adds more information which requires more parsing and thinking 
from the user; the question is if it's worth it. As Calum said, the statusbar 
is for simple, implicit messages, which shouldn't result in the end of the 
world if it's missed. It shouldn't need markup, because it shouldn't be 
important, one can put it. I think it should also be possible to argue for 
esthetic simplicity.


Cheers,

		Frans