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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: simpler UI for konqy
From:       Aaron Seigo <aseigo () kde ! org>
Date:       2004-01-06 17:05:09
Message-ID: 200401061005.09921.aseigo () kde ! org
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On January 06, 2004 9:41, Rui Malheiro wrote:
> Actualy I find those two actions to be quite related. And I never want to
> execute them at the same time, so having a "toggle" seems straightforward.

you're missing the point =/ it isn't a question of "related", it's a question 
of being "the same". nor is it a question of wanting to execute them at the 
same time. 

to demonstrate, forward and back are related and you practically never want to 
go both forward AND back at the same time, right? so why don't we make 
forward and back the same button?

these are very basic usability principles, not matters of guesswork.

> Actualy it can be seen as "one element, one action". Just that the "stop"
> button is hidden when it doesn't make sense using and the "reload" button
> only appears when it makes. I prefer that behavior to having a "greyed-out"
> button for an action I cannot perform.

to the end user's perception hiding/showing two buttons in the same space and 
toggling the meaning of a button is the same thing (this is actually a basic 
premise of animation). worse, they are identical in size, which only 
reinforces this perception.

moreover, dynamic interfaces where items appear and dissappear should be 
avoided when possible. sometimes it isn't and hiding/showing widgets is the 
best that is possible (tab widgets are an example of this). but generally, a 
static interface is faster to use and learn.

there are many good books/texts on these sorts of usability concepts available 
online and at the library.

> > Q2. do we already have means to show when a page is finished loading?
> > A2. yes, the stop button disables and the throbber stops.
>
> Erm... I don't say that's the *purpose* of a stop/reload button. Just a
> useful side efect.

not that useful, since we have at least 2 other widgets that show this state 
quite clearly.

- -- 
Aaron J. Seigo
while (!horse()); cart();
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