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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: RFC: Restricting mouse in popup menus
From:       "Diego Moya \(a.k.a. TuringTest\)" <turingt () gmail ! com>
Date:       2005-05-18 18:06:47
Message-ID: 11ee049405051811067f568cce () mail ! gmail ! com
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On 18/05/05, ziga@mail.ljudmila.org <ziga@mail.ljudmila.org> wrote:
> I beleive modal interface such as this is
> universally considered a bad thing from user
> interface point of view.

Yes, it is. That's why I suggested turning it into a quasimode. 

A quasimode is, roughly speaking, "showing the interface only while a
key -or button- is pressed". Pressing the Shift key to enter upper
letters is a quasimode. Using Caps lock is a full mode.


> 
> How does one cancel the operation with mouse only?
> 
You click outside of the active area. But the problem is not that. The
problem is that you are capturing the user so that, while the mode is
active, any action not supported by the dialog/menu/mode is completely
lost. This should never happen, as all input from the user should be
sacred (is the only thing that can't be recomputed). In order to
perform a different activity she previously has to actively dismiss
the mode, instead of just starting the activity.

You shouldn't design for a perfect user, one who always knows the
perfect action to do and has in her memory the whole possibilities of
the interface. You should design for a user who changes her mind,
forgets where commands are placed, don't know all the shortcuts or
don't even know some "basic" techniques like "right click to open a
context menu". An interface should always "degrade gracefully" when
the most advanced techniques are not available for any cause (a
dissability, a dirty mouse, a remote terminal).

So, if you're going to restrict the movement of the cursor over the
screen, do it *only while the user is actively requesting it with the
mouse button*. As soon as the user releases the button, the cursor
should be able to move freely again.
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