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From: gilbert@cs.glasgow.ac.uk (Gilbert Cockton)
Newsgroups: comp.cog-eng
Subject: Re: Right Hand Rule
Message-ID: <5966@tahiti.cs.glasgow.ac.uk>
Date: 6 Aug 90 10:33:41 GMT
References: <1990Jul31.193057.4434@pdn.paradyne.com> <9967@hubcap.clemson.edu> <3628@se-sd.SanDiego.NCR.COM>
Reply-To: gilbert@cs.glasgow.ac.uk (Gilbert Cockton)
Organization: Comp Sci, Glasgow Univ, Scotland
Lines: 22

I would think this an area where different populations have different
models.  I don't know of any major study on the meanings of clockwise
and counterclockwise.  If the user population is known, their beliefs
should be investigated and used to make the final decision.

Possible analogies are:
	steering wheel: clockwise => turn to right!
	hi-fi/tv volume: clockwise (right) => louder
	water taps (faucets):  varies in GB, ?std in USA.
			      most taps on wash basins (IMHE)
			      are turned clockwise to turn them off.
			      I've encountered stop-cocks (for mains
			      supply) on water pipes which are clockwise
			      to open. It all depends on the thread in
			      the tap.

Ideally, this should be (user-)tailorable with feedback which lets users
know immediately what is happening.  If there are standards, users or
oprganisations can decide whether to stick to them.  If feedback is good 
enough (e.g. many word processor rulers), standard rules are not needed.
Users wont need to remember any rules (isn't that what GUIs are
about?)