More on the authentication alert.

From: Daniel Thompson (daniel.thompson@st.com)
Date: Mon Jun 09 2003 - 04:38:55 EDT

  • Next message: Christian Neumair: "Re: More on the authentication alert."

    Hi Folks

    Apologies for the lateness of this contribution (and the size of this
    contribution - once I get going its hard to stop) but I only picked up
    the discussion from AWN.

    I was supprised the see a button labeled 'Authenticate' in an
    authentication dialog. Not only is this a technical term that one would
    usually avoid in a user interface but it is also contrary to the GNOME
    HIG section describing authentication alerts.

    Specifically 'An authentication alert:
    <remove-some-irrelavant-bullet-points>
       * will present a button labelled with a verb or verb phrase describing
         the action authenticated, or OK if such a phrase would be longer
         than three words. Place this button in the bottom right corner of
         the alert.'
    <remove-some-more-irrelavent-bullet-points>

    Clearly the action authenticated can never be authentication itself!

    Assuming I am correct that the password dialog is used to collect a
    password to decrypt documents then the but should be labeled 'Open
    Document' (or just 'Open'). 'Decrypt' would be a possibility but again
    not as well understood.

    As a closing comment like all alerts an authenication alert should
    really have an alert icon (and the HIG requires this). Unfortunately
    GNOME does not yet have a stock authentication icon
    (http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=65765).

            Cheers

            Daniel
            --xx-- 

    -- 
Daniel Thompson (STMicroelectronics) <daniel.thompson@st.com>
1000 Aztec West, Almondsbury, Bristol, BS32 4SQ. 01454 462659

    Tech Support: "I need you to boot the computer."
Customer: (THUMP! pause) "No that hasn't helped."

    This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Mon Jun 09 2003 - 04:54:52 EDT