Re: [Usability] Progress Bars

[Diego Moya <turingt gmail com>]

On Apr 2, 2005 2:43 PM, Age Bosma <agebosma home nl> wrote:

> You've got a point though some programs do tend to use multiple progress
> bars. Should this be something to address in the HIG with e.g. one or
> two examples to prevent people from using multiple progress bars?
> Would it be possible to recommend this in general in the first place?
> Personally I can't think of a reason why multiple progress bars are
> realy needed if you use your example but others might think of situation
> where it would be handy to use.

The Synaptic package manager does this - but it download packages in
parallel not in sequence, and the multiple bars are folded under an
advanced "more info" panel.

The Firefox download manager is another example of multiple progress
bars, and here there isn't a global progress. The common theme where
multiple progress bars seems to be legitimate is when there are
several independent processes.

I agree that when there is one single process with several sequential
components, a single bar and a % text for the component is simple and
clear.