Re: [Usability] Gnome HIG suggestion: search box clear buttons

[Alan Horkan <horkana maths tcd ie>]

On Sun, 3 Jun 2007, Matthew Paul Thomas wrote:

> Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2007 00:39:19 +1200
> From: Matthew Paul Thomas <mpt myrealbox com>
> To: GNOME Usability List <usability gnome org>
> Subject: Re: [Usability] Gnome HIG suggestion: search box clear buttons
>
> On Jun 2, 2007, at 12:52 PM, Alan Horkan wrote:
> >
> > On Fri, 1 Jun 2007, Caleb Marcus wrote:
> > ...
> >> I'd like to suggest that the GNOME HIG recommend including clear
> >> buttons next to search boxes that change the current view. I've
> >> attached a screenshot of an example of one of these, from Mozilla
> >> Thunderbird. When the user starts typing in the find-as-you-type box,
> >> the red "X" button appears in the right side of the search box. When
> >> clicked, it clears the text in the search box and resets the view back
> >> to normal.
> > ...
> > I'm not sure I see a compelling reason to provide an alternative to
> > backspace/delete for ordinary users.

I used the term "ordinary users" very deliberately.  The reasons you
mention are the obvious reasons why someone might want to add this button
but do not go to proving it as particularly compelling change. Sure it
might be of some benefit to heavier users who are not aware of the
existing keybindings.  Generally if the text in a field is preselected it
takes only one keypress to clear it anyway.

Just voicing some skepticism.  This is the kind of cluttered and
non-standard widgetry that Mozilla is going to do anyway (like close icons
on every tab that I don't like either) and it might be a good idea to have
the same thing in GTK.

-- 
Alan