[thelist] clear form code

M. Seyon evoltlist at delime.com
Mon Mar 20 09:28:06 CST 2006


Message from Ian Anderson (3/20/2006 02:58 PM)

>M. Seyon wrote:
>
> > Radio buttons without a default 'none selected' option. I think in 
> practice
> > many, many, many more forms are "destructive to usability" because they do
> > not have such an option for their radio buttons.
>
>Well, that's a different topic again, isn't it. I come from an
>application software background, where UI guidelines stipulate that
>radio buttons must have a default checked state. I don't agree with
>loading a web page without one of each radio button group selected as a
>default, and personally I don't believe that all radio button groups on
>the web need a "none selected" option.

You asked for a valid reason for using the Reset button, and I provided one 
- resetting radio buttons that do not have either a default state, or a 
"none selected" option.

Another radio button scenario:

You're doing an online test, 10 pages, 10 questions per page. You will be 
penalised more for an incorrect answer than no answer at all.

Your options are (A), (B), (C), (D).

You choose (B) for number 97. After checking over your work you really 
aren't sure whether the correct answer is (B) or (C). What to do? Click 
refresh and restart the whole test?

Surely in this case there should be a 'No response' option. But honestly 
have you ever seen online tests that include such an option? I haven't.

You'll probably call this bad interface design, and you would be correct. 
But it is also bad interface design to dismiss an available control (the 
reset button) because some guy says he thinks it's destructive to usability 
without considering its relevance in your specific situation.

That said, do you know what Bruce Gilbert's situation is, or why he wants 
to use a reset button? Or whether that is even what he is looking for? He 
could very well want a control that clears all form fields, regardless of 
their previous state.

regards.
-marc 



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