Re: File dialog

["Guillermo S. Romero / Familia Romero" <famrom idecnet com>]

menthos@menthos.com (2000-08-13 at 0420.43 +0200):
> And I don't understand why you hate icon buttons and prefer text buttons
> - to me, those icons are very intuitive, and they're consistent across

For me are not. I remove all icons I can, and use text. Icons are
mimic, and some times distracting. Words are just words, a basic item
in my mind (you can change fonts and the meaning is the same, while
for icons I need an extra brain layer if they change a bit).

Humans have evolved from pics to letters. Even languajes like Chinese
do not use true pics anymore. If you study the origins of a "letter"
you will find that it was a pic, but now all people would say "three
horizontal bars", not "looks like a house" or "dog" or whatever (at
least the non native).

> translations too, making documentation and support easier (instead of
> just having to refer to the placement of the buttons).

Are you sure that a symbol means the same everywhere? For example, the
arrows, what happens if your languaje is written inverse (or you say
that mine is the wrong one ;] ). Do arrows mean the same? I have seen
people get into trouble cos they used their hands to do things that in
their original country mean nothing, but in another mean something.

When refering to something, you use its name (an interface with things
duplicated, but different task is wrong, you can have two Stop buttons,
and both must do the same). It seems you are mimic limited. ;]

When I wan to tell another guy that he must hit button Next, I say
Next, not "arrow to the left" (typo, is "to the right", and I found
another reason to use Next) or "lowest button". Things have names, and
if you rearrange them, but keep the names, everyone can find them
again.

BTW, I doubt there are languaje themes (other than translations), but
icons, colors and such can be changed, what is more, people like to
change them. Basing things in non permanent details is bad, IMHO.

> Even Nautilus uses back and forward _icons_.
> But agreed, maybe an icon/text button combo would be the best.

Combo: icon, text, icon & text. Three user options. I think with
words, not with images, and that is the reason I preffer texts over
icons (and both just wastes space, but some people like it).

GSR