[thelist] Drop-down menu items

[Andy Olsen]

Answering my own question, here are some arguments:

Reasons to like the drop-down menu:
	- Provides access to many pages on the site.
	- Conserves screen space.
	- Improves the image of the site, if properly implemented. Looks jazzy. 
Jazzy is a design goal.
	- It is not likely that an alternative menu system would provide all of 
the site's 2nd 3rd level links on one page.
	- Allows more cross-linking between sections.

Reasons not to like the drop-down menu:
	- Improperly done, it's just confusing. (If headings not clear).
	- Requires more clicks to see and choose the options.
	- Implementation is different and unpredictable. (Some activated by click, 
some by mouseover).
	- Cascading menus (like Windoze Start button) are difficult to use. (No 
plans to do this, though we could).
	- The drop-downs hide much of the site from the user. They may never find 
the pages if they don't look through the menu system.

Here's an article critical of these elements: 
http://www.shorewalker.com/design/design116.html Mainly flyaways.

Would be interested in hearing more.