4 ms·

Uh, a guess is that 1+ billion people are already good at using "drop down menus" along with check boxes, radio buttons, single line text boxes, multiline text

Uh, a guess is that 1+ billion people are already good at using "drop down menus" along with check boxes, radio buttons, single line text boxes, multiline text boxes, push buttons, links. So, when those user interface controls are sufficient for the purpose, using something else might reduce the collection of happy users. The Web site of my bank stays close to such now classic controls.

hereonout2 1y ago
Maybe this misses the point slightly? I'm talking about a time when investment in browser development and web standards was so lacking that being able to achieve things like this blew everyone's mind: https://meyerweb.com/eric/css/edge/menus/demo.html https://meyerweb.com/eric/css/edge/menus/demo.html Hackernews, were it around back then, would've gone as crazy for this post as we do the latest AI model today.
- degamad 1y ago
  It shocks me that I remember css/edge so well after all these years.
- deleted 1y ago
  [deleted]
- graycat 1y ago
  > Maybe this misses the point slightly? Maybe! My thoughts were, say, tangential or incidental. A guess is that a central issue is how much in new features should we develop and use? I see a dilemma: (A) I mentioned the old controls that go back to early Windows and even IBM's 3270 terminals. An advantage of these controls is that lots of software tools implement them and billions of people already understand them. (B) Being too happy with the old stuff or even the present risks progress that is possible and worthwhile. Your post seemed to illustrate (B). But generally in the industry, with smartphones, laptops, desktops, Apple, Google's Android, Windows, browsers, apps and extrapolating, we could have an explosion of new features that would complicate work for everyone and fragment the industry. Ah, maybe Darwin would explain: Lots of mutations with only the best lasting?? For my work, I'm thrilled with the tools and technology available now that I get to exploit.

hereonout2 1y ago

Maybe this misses the point slightly? I'm talking about a time when investment in browser development and web standards was so lacking that being able to achieve things like this blew everyone's mind: https://meyerweb.com/eric/css/edge/menus/demo.html https://meyerweb.com/eric/css/edge/menus/demo.html Hackernews, were it around back then, would've gone as crazy for this post as we do the latest AI model today.

degamad 1y ago
It shocks me that I remember css/edge so well after all these years.
deleted 1y ago
[deleted]
graycat 1y ago
> Maybe this misses the point slightly? Maybe! My thoughts were, say, tangential or incidental. A guess is that a central issue is how much in new features should we develop and use? I see a dilemma: (A) I mentioned the old controls that go back to early Windows and even IBM's 3270 terminals. An advantage of these controls is that lots of software tools implement them and billions of people already understand them. (B) Being too happy with the old stuff or even the present risks progress that is possible and worthwhile. Your post seemed to illustrate (B). But generally in the industry, with smartphones, laptops, desktops, Apple, Google's Android, Windows, browsers, apps and extrapolating, we could have an explosion of new features that would complicate work for everyone and fragment the industry. Ah, maybe Darwin would explain: Lots of mutations with only the best lasting?? For my work, I'm thrilled with the tools and technology available now that I get to exploit.