Of HIG, Apple, and User-Centric Design

[Dar Scott]

On Tuesday, July 29, 2003, at 08:16 AM, Robert Brenstein wrote:

> But if I recall the original of this long-running thread, someone  
> wanted to use a checkbox to indicate a state of connection or  
> something and thus the checkbox did not allow to toggle the state. I  
> agree with early responders that in this situation, a checkbox is a  
> wrong object to use. A graphical or textual status display should be  
> used instead.

It is interesting that there seems to be no standard here.  GUIs are  
weak in boolean output and even 1-of-n output.

In some domain-oriented or vertical-market GUI practice (as opposed to  
platform-oriented), this is addressed.  In typical LabVIEW  
applications, the instrument panel metaphor is used and the obvious  
choice is a light or LED.  I have seen a different practice in physical  
security and I have heard of another in the railroad industry.

Dar Scott

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