use-revolution digest, Vol 1 #1675 - 15 msgs

[Richard Gaskin]

Dan Shafer wrote:

> Well, just as one example, the pulsing default button in Aqua. That
> feels like the kind of eye candy that was added to the UI just because
> they could. It doesn't convey a single iota more information than a
> bold button that is clearly the default.

According to at least one paper I read a couple years back, the pulsing
default buttons might actually be an anti-feature:  the paper was on visual
distractors, exploring the balance between engaging graphics that support
the central goal of the experience and flashy graphics that draw attention
away from the central goal.

In an alert dialog, the critical goal is to present a message.  Making sure
the users reads "OK" is way down the list after making sure they read the
message itself.  Yet the pulsing button is visually dominant, drawing
attention to itself and away from its raison d'etre....

-- 
 Richard Gaskin 
 Fourth World Media Corporation
 Developer of WebMerge: Publish any database on any Web site
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