[thelist] Usability/Esthetics: Drop Downs vs. Check Boxes

[Miraz Jordan]

At 18:44 -0700 24/04/2001, Phil Constant wrote:
>We're working with a client that will have a *global* presence. They 
>want a country list available to users on a page but want to use 
>check boxes for damn near each and every %$&* country in the world 
>(up to 95 and counting). Said client doesn't like drop down lists.

Check boxes would drive me crazy - crazier than a darn drop-down 
list. I live in New Zealand - always about half way down any list and 
have recently thought it would be nice to have more than one 
drop-down - perhaps by continent or initial letter or something.

I use a Mac and work with a number of novice users, many on Macs. 
iMacs and the like are so darn fast that scrolling down a long 
drop-down list can cause problems trying to hit the correct item, 
especially when the list goes off the top or bottom of the screen.

Not many users know the good old Mac trick of selecting the drop-down 
and then typing the first letter or couple of letters to quickly move 
to roughly the right place.



Cheers,

Miraz

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