[openbeos] Re: Patch: Prettifying the default decorator

Thom wrote:
>A decision in GUI design can NOT be taken without considering its
>implications on the UI design side, and vice versa.

I believe this is a faulty statement.  If anything a good UI Design drives
or serves as a base of the graphic design and it definitely shouldn't be
vice versa.  Your blinking menu item example leads me to several UI design
questions:

        Why is this really needed? Is there a better way to achieving its
purpose? Are they assuming the user is too stupid to realize what they
selected?  Isn't that quite insulting? How often does a user even pay
attention to the blinking?  What kind of delay does it have and how does it
interrupt the flow of the user's tasks?

From a graphic design point of view, it is an effective way to notify a user
of what they selected and is a neat effect.  I don't think this makes it a
good UI design though.  If anything, it sounds like a legacy UI feature they
were forced to keep.

Sorry if I'm continuing to add to a "charged" debate, but I feel this is an
important topic for the community to understand.  One of the advantages that
Haiku is being promoted on is its User Interface.  As a result, solid
reasons for UI design decisions are needed.  Especially if you wish to
market it to a larger audience.  "So easy that your mom could use it" was a
mantra I've already heard.

Now I'm starting to sound like marketing. Yikes! :-)

Curtis

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