[thelist] Color Chooser Review

Tom Dell'Aringa pixelmech at yahoo.com
Tue May 28 18:42:01 CDT 2002


Jeff,

Your points are well taken, so let me give you a bit more info that will at least show you my
point of view, because I mostly agree with you.

Is my version less accessable/usable?..you decide afterwards.

In my version...

1. A visual cue: The color changes on selection. Only the selected button text is that color.
2. Hitting the target: You DON'T have to hit the radio button with my solution (as I mentioned
earlier) I have used an anchor in a span tag that calls the same function as called when the radio
button hits. In addition, mousing over the text give you the "hand/pointer" so you know its
clickable. Plenty of feedback, IMO.
3. Ruining design? I think that's personal preference as long as the functionality is there.
4. What am I working on? The pages I am working on are part of a large, enterprise size
application that runs only on installed users computers. This is not a "web site" as it were. You
won't find it in a search engine, if you get my drift. The colors and features that I am using to
help cue the users are in line with other functionality on the site, or as close as I can make it.

I also know that all of our users are on IE5, and we don't support any other browser, no problem
there (and a luxury, I know.) So am I trying to design around a browser feature? You be the judge,
but I can only assure you that MY main concern is that the user is able to use the controls I
design effectively and intuitively. Jeff might not think that is the case - since he offered a
rather strong opinion ;)...but believe me it is.

Believe me, I appreciate the comments, and I am interested to hear what you all think after my
further explanations.

Tom
--- ".jeff" <jeff at members.evolt.org> wrote:
> tom,
>
> ><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><
> > From: Tom Dell'Aringa
> >
> > Yes, turns out you can -- BUT, when you click the label
> > you get a "selected" marching ants type box (but not
> > marching) around the label. I didn't want that so i
> > stuck with my solution, but if you don't mind that -
> > it works.
> ><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><
>
> no offense, but aesthetics is a ridiculous reason to make a form less
> accessible/usable.  those "marching ants" are there for a reason.  they give
> the keyboard user a visual cue where the focus is.  as a frequent keyboard
> surfer and a power user, i'm constantly annoyed by developers that *still*
> don't use labels forcing me to hit the tiny target that radio buttons and
> checkboxes leave.  i often wonder if the designer/developer is the only one
> that thinks the "marching ants" "ruin" their design.
>
> if the site is for your own use, then what you want is important.  however,
> if you're hoping to get others to use it, what you want is *much* further
> down the priority list.  if you don't put what the user wants above what you
> want, how can you expect them to give you what you want?
>
> please reconsider your position on the issue of the "marching ants" and stop
> trying to design around browser features.  doing so will only mire you down
> in the intricacies of browser implementation and you'll lose sight of the
> original goal -- putting schtuff online for others to access/use.
>
> .jeff
>
> http://evolt.org/
> jeff at members.evolt.org
> http://members.evolt.org/jeff/
>
>
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