[openbeos-cdt] Re: Close window button

  • From: "Humdinger" <humdingerb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: openbeos-cdt@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:58:55 +0100

-- . Meanwhile ., on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:36:57 -0500:
> Argh...people, why can't we see that tab-square and the whole concept 
> of
> it is being destroyed when we allow users to put an x into it?
> If one can't already guess it from what's on the right side of the 
> tab,
> the square represents the stylized outline of a window and has 
> nothing to
> do with checkboxes.

I think, the notion of the window close button being mistaken for a 
checkbox has been debunked already. The issue is a uniform 
representation of a closing button, independently from where it's used.
For example, if you see a simple square on the side of every horizontal 
audio channel in ColdCut, is it obvious that this symbol will close 
that channel. Or could you even think, in this place, it actually _is_ 
a checkbox?
Isn't an x-ed square more obviously a general close symbol, esp. if you 
consider its wide usage in other OS? (Again, we're talking non-tab 
usage.)
Would it make sense to have the x only on mouse-over? I don't think so.

I can't see, how a subtly engraved x in the close button destroys the 
very concept of the close button. Or clutters the GUI. If it were XP 
fat white-on-red I'd be totally with you. Actually, seeing this thread 
I was, until I saw Branden's mockup.

> BTW in for example preferences settings, putting an X in a checkbox 
> is a
> choice that always needs a confirmation button to make things 
> dissapear.

Not true. Deskbar Preferences: checkboxes are applied live. Which is 
good.

> Should the learning threshold  for people from other OS's be that low
> that you essentially remove it alltogether? If we adopt the same low
> threshold in the rest of Haiku (one should be consistent, no?) then 
> we
> might as well as some Linux amateur to do over the entire GUI.
> I am vehemently opposed (as you may have guessed).

I think you're overreacting. :)
But despite my continued tries to provide examples, evidence and logic 
to examine the different view points, I don't feel particularly strong 
for "The X". I can live without it like for the past, er, 11 years in 
BeOS, but I know there will be x-ed close buttons elsewhere in 
applications and this would be a chance to make things a teeny-weeny 
bit more consistent.

I agree however, there are much more massive fish to fry. 

Regards,
Humdinger

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