[thelist] usability

[jsWalter]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: thelist-bounces at lists.evolt.org
> [mailto:thelist-bounces at lists.evolt.org]On Behalf Of Simon Willison
> Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2003 9:45 PM
> To: thelist at lists.evolt.org
> Subject: Re: [thelist] usability

> That said, on the client side you may find my Javascript date entry
> function useful - it's an alternative to a DHTML calendar widget (which,
> while pretty, can be quite a slow way of entering a date):

nice little widget.

but it does not handle American vs. English date formats.

meaning, it doesn't know if...

      10/11/2003

is October 11th, or November 10th.

That is the main issue I have with free-text date entry.

Yes, you can give the user a format display (mm/dd/yyyy), but habits are
hard to break, even when your thinking about it.

Yes, calendar widgets are bit cumbersome, but that or pull-down trios are
pretty much the only way to really "know" what date the user meant when they
entered it.

In fact, I've even had the pull-down chock on me a few times. It all gets
down to what the user is thinking, or not thinking as they enter the date.

just my 2 cents.

Walter