4 ms·

HTML 5, Web Apps and Native Controls

12 points by paulrouget 16y ago

sudont 16y ago
So, Mac users can now have two toolbars specified in their chrome, and everyone can lose control of how the browser is displayed? I'm not sure, I'm reminded of: if (event.button == 2) {alert "no clicky!"} While there should be a launcher in the browser that can create SSB or a shell for the web-app, I highly doubt it should be so tightly integrated with the chrome that a website could take control of the browser window without user intervention. This seems to just move the typical in-pane menu up to the top of the window. This might be a good idea, however I'd rather Firefox included a launch mode that allowed it to load in an SSB, not to suddenly change the window into a different app, which might be fine under Windows, but is pretty awkward under a Mac as it breaks window switching.
malandrew 16y ago
This is a potential step back for modern UI design with the user's best interest at hearts. To understand why we need to consider Apple's one-button mouse. The one button mouse basically makes it explicit to the developer/designer that you can't just assume that a user will know that a right click or control click command exists. This forces the interface designer to make the control available visually or in some other more obvious way. Contextual clicking is nice, but better approaches such as showing controls on mouseover or on select are far more discoverable. Mouseover or show-on-select controls are also preferable to menu-bars because of Fitt's Law. Permitting app developers to use menu bars and contextual controls is the easy way out and results in a worse design. Both the top menu bar and contextual menu are relics from when the inmates were controlling the asylum. Show they be eliminated? No, I think it's great that this can be done, but only if it is an alternative to other controls embedded in the design itself. The design should not require the menu-bar or contextual menu for all features to be usable. All the controls found in the menu-bar and contextual menu should also be discoverable in the design.

12 points by paulrouget 16y ago

So, Mac users can now have two toolbars specified in their chrome, and everyone can lose control of how the browser is displayed? I'm not sure, I'm reminded of: if (event.button == 2) {alert "no clicky!"} While there should be a launcher in the browser that can create SSB or a shell for the web-app, I highly doubt it should be so tightly integrated with the chrome that a website could take control of the browser window without user intervention. This seems to just move the typical in-pane menu up to the top of the window. This might be a good idea, however I'd rather Firefox included a launch mode that allowed it to load in an SSB, not to suddenly change the window into a different app, which might be fine under Windows, but is pretty awkward under a Mac as it breaks window switching.

malandrew 16y ago

This is a potential step back for modern UI design with the user's best interest at hearts. To understand why we need to consider Apple's one-button mouse. The one button mouse basically makes it explicit to the developer/designer that you can't just assume that a user will know that a right click or control click command exists. This forces the interface designer to make the control available visually or in some other more obvious way. Contextual clicking is nice, but better approaches such as showing controls on mouseover or on select are far more discoverable. Mouseover or show-on-select controls are also preferable to menu-bars because of Fitt's Law. Permitting app developers to use menu bars and contextual controls is the easy way out and results in a worse design. Both the top menu bar and contextual menu are relics from when the inmates were controlling the asylum. Show they be eliminated? No, I think it's great that this can be done, but only if it is an alternative to other controls embedded in the design itself. The design should not require the menu-bar or contextual menu for all features to be usable. All the controls found in the menu-bar and contextual menu should also be discoverable in the design.