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List:       kde-core-devel
Subject:    Re: Icons on Buttons - again
From:       Neil Stevens <neil () qualityassistant ! com>
Date:       2002-01-19 19:12:25
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On Saturday January 19, 2002 09:47, Thomas Zander wrote:
> On Sat, Jan 19, 2002 at 04:44:57PM +0000, Mike Richardson wrote:
> > Sorry, I think this is wrong. The icon is a visual representation of
> > the action that the button performs; the text is a textual description
> > of what the button does. They __individually__ mean the same thing.
>
> This is your opinion on what the rules (should) be.
> The system is being written by the KDE authors, the rules are not yet
> made. I don't say my opinion is the best there is; but yours adds little
> to the usability of KDE.

When the feature is put in with certain arguments being made for its 
defense, then the reasoning behind those arguments should be upheld in the 
implementation.

A primary reason for putting icons on buttons was supposed to be for quick 
scanning of the buttons.  When two buttons have the same icon, and when 
the same icon means different things at different times, then quick 
scanning is not achieved.  In fact, having a repeated icon probably slows 
down the user.

I'll close with this - if users are supposed to read the text no matter 
what the icon is, then the icons should be removed, since they're just a 
distraction in that case.

-- 
Neil Stevens
neil@qualityassistant.com

Don't think of a bug as a problem.  Think of it as a call to action.
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