Re: Keyboard keys, commands, shortcuts, "accelerators"

[Paul Baker <pbaker@where2getit.com>]

On Tuesday, May 20, 2003, at 03:45  PM, Paul Baker wrote:

> Dare I suggest the Aqua Human Interface Guidelines?  
> http://developer.apple.com/techpubs/macosx/Essentials/ 
> AquaHIGuidelines/index.html

For anyone not aware, the AHIG also has other great information about  
building useable interfaces. Some of the handfuls of wisdom have to do  
with how you create your dialog boxes. I see a lot of Linux programs  
tend to follow the windows way of creating dialog boxes which is just  
down right evil. The AHIG tries to achieve dialog boxes that you can  
understand without actually reading the text of the dialog. You just  
need to look at the buttons.

For instance a dialog box prompting you if you really want to Revert  
your changes in a document. Windows apps tend to provide a dialog box  
similar to:

   Are you sure you want to revert your changes?

       Yes   No

Where as programs following the AHIG will say:

   Do you want to want to throw away all unsaved changes?

       Cancel   Revert

You may not really see a difference in these dialogs until you take  
away the text. If you were presented with a dialog that had no text,  
but only the Yes and No buttons would you know what to click? How about  
when you see Cancel and Revert. You have a much better impression of  
what is going to happen.

--
Paul Baker

"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away."
         -- Philip K. Dick

GPG Key: http://homepage.mac.com/pauljbaker/public.asc