Subject: Re: New List Dialog Ideas (LONG!)
From: Thomas Fletcher (thomasf@qnx.com)
Date: Tue Aug 08 2000 - 07:35:56 CDT
On Fri, 4 Aug 2000 bob@abisource.com wrote:
> On Fri, Aug 04, 2000 at 04:04:31PM -0400, Thomas Fletcher wrote:
> > Comment #2
> > ----------
> >
> > Word doesn't let you have an empty list item, which means
> > that you can quickly terminate a list at any time by hitting
> > return twice. For example if I have:
> >
> > 1. A line
> > 2. Another line |
> >
> > Then hit return once I get
> >
> > 1. A line
> > 2. Another line
> > 3. |
> >
> > Then hitting return again, Word detects that I've done a
> > double return and rips out the 3rd list item and does this:
> >
> > 1. A line
> > 2. Another line
> >
> > |
> >
> > Which is most likely what we would want since generally you
> > start a new paragraph/add a line of whitespace after a list.
> > Alternately if I was at the
> >
>
> This one I disagree with. MSWord goes way too overboard on trying to
> "guess" what users want. Maybe I want a blank list entry. Actually,
> in the past I had, but couldn't figure out how to make one. You
> really have to be careful when making such assumptions.
Well they might go overboard for some people, but I'm willing to
bet that statistically their default behaviour pleases a large
majority of the population. I know that in many cases MS stuff
will drive computer users wonkey, but their default behaviour is
very much based on sample usage studies. I had a friend working on
Excel who was part of a feature design team and usage statistics
drove many a design decision.
In any case just to respond to the comments, if you wanted a blank list
item then you just added a _space_ afterwards. I find that having
to double backspace very much interrupts the typing flow, and wanting
to terminate a list is something that people are going to want to do
much more often then having a blank list item.
So I propose the following terminating behaviour, the keystroke
count is based on what it would take to get me to the point
where I can start typing again. We are using the following
list situation:
1. A list item
2. |
At this point, assuming that return was just hit from the
first list item (1.):
User wants a blank list item:
- Hit spacebar (for non blank list item) then return
1. A list item
2.
3. |
(two extra keystrokes, low runner case)
User wants a paragraph to begin immediately after the list.
- Hit return (blank list item --> end of list) then backspace
1. A list item
|
(two extra keystrokes, mid/low runner case)
Alternately we can support the delete
- Hit delete (once or twice is debateable)
1. A list item
|
(one/two extra keystrokes, mid/low runner case)
Alternately if we have the list buttons bound to a hot key:
- Hit hotkey to toggle the list from on to off
1. A list item
|
(one extra keystrokes, mid/low runner case)
User wants to start the next paragraph.
- Hit return (blank list item)
1. A list item
|
(one extra keystroke, high runner case)
--- I think that most people on average would agree that in their use of lists they will usually have either:blah blah blah 1. 2. blah blah blah
or
blah blah blah
1. 2.
blah blah blah
Providing an easy way to toggle the list off, even if it is semi-automatic means that you can just continually move forward in the document.
Let the debate rage on ... remember we need to think not so much about what is easy to program, but what is easy (and expected/intuitive) for the users.
Thomas ------------------------------------------------------------- Thomas (toe-mah) Fletcher QNX Software Systems thomasf@qnx.com Neutrino Development Group (613)-591-0931 http://www.qnx.com/~thomasf
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