Re: [Usability] Scrollbars with Popups

[Thorsten Wilms <t_w_ freenet de>]

On Thu, May 31, 2007 at 05:50:48PM +0100, Calum Benson wrote:

> > http://thorwil.wordpress.com/2007/05/31/scrollbars-with-popups/
> 
> Hmm, not sure I completely understand the proposed functionality, but
> part of it at least sounds like the way OpenWindows scrollbars used to
> work:
> http://docs.sun.com/source/801-7265/images/8-1-17B79.gif
> 
> (If you clicked-and-held the arrow at either end of the bar, the mouse
> pointer followed along as required until you stopped.)

That's quite interesting. But my proposal has nothing like the elevator 
and there's no automatic moving the mouse pointer.

I'll try to explain again:

The whole scrollbar area allows dragging.
Once the pointer enters the scrollbar area, the popup with 2 arrows  
appears centered beneath it.
If the pointer is moved along the scollbar, the popup stays beneath it, 
but only moves as much as required. Imagine you hold a finger into a box 
and move the finger on a straight line in both directions: the box only 
moves once the finger hits an edge.
This behavior means that switching from one arrow button to the other  
requires only a short mouse move without any fear of moving beyond the 
target (well, except on the start and end of the scrollbar).
A click acts on the arrow button that happens to be below the pointer 
(the action can only take place on up, as a drag might happen).


-- 
Thorsten Wilms

Thorwil's Design for Free Software:
http://thorwil.wordpress.com