[thelist] [Usability] Cancel button in forms (typically CMS related)

[aardvark]

> From: "Abhay S. Kushwaha" <abhayk at netsolutionsindia.com>
[...]
> Now, how good an idea is it to add a "Cancel" button just next to the
> "Save/Update" button? Something that perhaps executes a JS history(-1)
> with a prompt "Any changes will be lost. Do you want to continue?".
>
> Personally I'm very strongly inclined to put it up because it gives
> what Jacob Nielson says "extra feeling of safety that is not afforded
> by simply leaving" [1]. Sometimes I go overboard and put it up even in
> those "Change Password" screens.
[...]

how savvy are your users?  for some users, there could be value to
it... for some, it could be just a button taking up space that might
accidentally get clicked...

granted, the forward button could reverse the problem, but will your
users know this?

i've found that in our CMS, our users don't need that -- it only
confuses the issue... they are savvy enough to know that clicking a
link to take them elsewhere in the system doesn't commit changes...


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