Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!uunet!isc-br!jimc
From: jimc@isc-br.ISC-BR.COM (Jim Cathey)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Re: New HIG for pull-down/pop-ups
Message-ID: <2916@isc-br.ISC-BR.COM>
Date: 22 Aug 90 17:57:32 GMT
References: <3961@crash.cts.com> <44112@apple.Apple.COM> <1990Aug21.200600.13164@eng.umd.edu>
Organization: ISC-Bunker Ramo, An Olivetti Company
Lines: 34

In article <1990Aug21.200600.13164@eng.umd.edu> russotto@eng.umd.edu (Matthew T. Russotto) writes:
>In article <44112@apple.Apple.COM> kazim@Apple.COM (Alex Kazim) writes:
>>
>>The arrow is meant as a visual clue, rather than a definition.  It's like
>>a road sign indicating curves ahead: the curves on the sign don't match
>>the terrain in any sense.  Similarly, the popup arrow is meant to indicate
>>the presence of a menu rather than its modus operandi.
>
>Nice rationalization, but I've never seen a sign for a left curve on the road
>have anything but a left curve on the sign, nor vice versa.  Even when it
>is a series of curves, the first curve on the sign always matches the first
>curve on the road.

My interpretation of that downwards pointing arrow is more aligned with a
"Push _down_ on the mouse button here to see more choices..." viewpoint than a
"There would be more menu choices available in _this_ linear direction if you
were to push here." Just try explaining to your mother when and why that
little doodad changes.  It would only be one more level of needless detail
that would confuse the unwary.  Unless you learned to ignore the arrow's
changing (in which case why change it at all) I would think that the changing
arrow would conjure up an endless succession of mental ghost images of how the
(invisible) menu looks at that moment, which is extra brainwork, and useless
as well.  After all, the current choice is either right or wrong, and pressing
on the item is soon enough to begin thinking about whether the right choice is
actually available or not.  Eliminates guesswork, too.

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