Re: [Usability] Close buttons on instant-apply dialogs

[Reinout van Schouwen <reinout cs vu nl>]

On Thu, 3 Jan 2002, George wrote:

> Huh?  There are dialogs all over the place and they are not modal.  I can't
> save a file without a dialog.  I can't change a color of something without a
> dialog.  I can't change properties of something without a dialog.  None of

Then you've probably never ran OS/2. You could have opened the Color
palette, dragged a color to something you wanted to change the color of
and release the mouse button to drop it. No dialog in sight.

> > If you're even thinking of dialogs, you probably aren't the average user.
>
> So why are we trying to make sure that the user knows that we're talking
> about a dialog rather then a 'utility window'?

We aren't. We are trying to gain a common understanding among _usability
experts_ about what is an instant-apply (utility) window and what is a
dialog. There is a big difference.


-- 

Reinout van Schouwen
e-mail    : reinout cs vu nl
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