Re: [Usability] Re: Re: Switching between tabs with Ctrl+Tab and Ctrl+Shift+Tab and "recency list"

[Calum Benson <Calum Benson Sun COM>]

On 8 Mar 2006, at 11:39, Roberto Piscitello wrote:

> Il Mon, 06 Mar 2006 15:41:42 +0000, Calum Benson ha scritto:
>
> > On 3 Mar 2006, at 14:29, Roberto Piscitello wrote:
> >
> > > So I think these are the more intuitive, convenient and coherent
> > > combinations:
> > >
> > > * Alt-Left/Right: switch to the previous/following tab
> >
> > That has exactly the same problem as our current documented shortcut
> > (Ctrl+PgUp/PgDn) though-- namely that Alt-left/right is already used
> > by another common control (in this case, text fields, to move the
> > cursor a word at a time).  So if one of those controls on a tab has
> > focus, you can't change tabs any more.  In fact, this is probably
> > more likely to bite you than our current shortcut, as it's really
> > only list/combo controls that consume Ctrl+PgUp/PgDn for themselves.
> To move a word at a time you use Ctrl-Left/Rigth.

Oops yes, you're right of course... although Alt-Left/right seem to  
work in text fields as well, which is what I was playing with at the  
time.

> However Alt-Left/Rigth are already used too, but to move in the
> navigation history (Ephy and FF use Alt-Left as a shortcut for the  
> Back
> toolbar button). See table 10.9 in the HIG.
> IMHO this was a sad choice: in the HIG, they're the only deviation
> from the rule "Alt for the WM, Ctrl for apps".

FWIW, they were chosen for consistency with (at the time) Mozilla and  
other browser-type applications...  I don't know if we'd be willing  
to change the HIG recommendations unless we could persuade things  
like Firefox to change too (which, in turn, are doing some things to  
be consistent with Internet Explorer etc.)

Cheeri,
Calum.

--
CALUM BENSON, Usability Engineer       Sun Microsystems Ireland
mailto:calum benson sun com            Java Desktop System Team
http://blogs.sun.com/calum             +353 1 819 9771

Any opinions are personal and not necessarily those of Sun Microsystems