----- Original Message ----- From: "Johan Aires Rastén" To: openbeos-cdt@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [openbeos-cdt] Re: Close window button Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 08:11:47 +0100 If BeOS had an X for closing windows, would you still think the square was a better choice, or do you think neither of them has any symbolic meaning at all so it doesn't matter which one Haiku uses? That's a bit hypothetical, as I think BeOS or Haiku shouldn't have an X for closing windows. Sidenote: I've never seen a usable checkbox with a background color that's anything other than white. > Also: the combined two squares at the right side of a Haiku tab already > neatly and graphically indicate minimize/maximize (cleverly done in one > button instead of two). From that it's super easy to derive to any new user > that the square on the left must be a -just as graphical- close window > button. But what about the argument that windows aren't the only things that need to be closed? Is the close-square still a good choice if you need to stick it somewhere else in a UI? If we rephrase this as a programming problem.. If you're adding methods to a class, would you try to use a name that tries to describe what the method does - perhaps by an analogy if it's a very abstract method - or would you use any word because other programmers will learn how to use it anyway? Would it be good coding practice to give one method a seemingly random name, because you can guess what it does by looking at the other methods? Try to approach it more graphical and practical: the square is a very common shape and therefore allows itself to be used with different meanings, as long as it's graphically evident. If that's the case (like in the BeOS/Haiku tab) there's hardly any room for mistake. Meanwhile -- Be Yourself @ mail.com! Choose From 200+ Email Addresses Get a Free Account at www.mail.com!