Re: [Usability] Java Look and Feel Design Guidelines vs the HIG

[Calum Benson <Calum Benson Sun COM>]

On 16 Dec 2006, at 17:29, Bill Wohler wrote:

> I'm embarking on a new project using Java/Swing which is expected to
> run in a GNU/Linux environment. I'm contemplating using the HIG
> instead of the JLFDG as I've always done and using the GTK look and
> feel rather than the default Swing look and feel. I'd be interested in
> hearing your views on the pros and cons of both of these decisions.
>
> Also, does that opinion change if the application is expected to run
> on more than one platform (like Windows or Mac).

It won't surprise you to know that we often have the same discussions  
inside Sun :)

So far, we've always concluded that Java apps should just continue to  
follow the Java guidelines.  At the same time, we've been continually  
improving the gtk+ L&F for Swing, with the eventual aim that the gtk+  
L&F that will do as much of the work of ensuring GNOME HIG compliance  
as possible, when the Java app is running in a GNOME environment.

We're certainly not there yet (especially wrt button order and file  
dialogs), but Java 6 is a further improvement over Java 5 in that  
regard.

> One last question: Since the development of the JLFDG seems to be dead
> and the HIG community seems quite active and contains Sun members, are
> there any thoughts about deprecating the JLFDG in favor of the HIG at
> some time in the future?

I don't have any official (or even unofficial) news on the JLFDG, but  
with the recent open sourcing of Java, I wouldn't be surprised if  
there are some moves to freshen it up again.  (Ideally we'd just open  
source the existing guidelines, but there may be issues with our  
publisher there.)

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