Universal GUI

[Ken Ray]

> Alternative design: Apple's designers should not disable the 
> checkbox; 
> rather they should hide the option until and unless the user makes a 
> selection from the popup menu that should enable the user to 
> change the 
> checkbox setting. Then and only then the checkbox should appear. This 
> is part of another key UI design concept: progressive discovery. Only 
> show the user as much of the UI as is needed to accomplish the 
> immediate objective. Several Claris products 15 years ago, for which 
> the UI was designed by one world-class designer, demonstrated this 
> brilliantly. Why should I even have to look at the checkbox 
> and have it 
> clutter my use of the program if it's not relevant to my current 
> situation? No value. No reason for it to be there.

Dan, normally I would agree with you, but I think there's a purpose for
disabled controls. They show you what capabilities are *possible*, but
just not active at that time - much like disabled menu items inform a
user that when the time is right, they will go "here" to access that
feature. Personally, I think it has to do with the UI and what each
control is meaning to convey. If it is not important that the user know
that this checkbox is there until the time is right, by all means hide
it and unclutter the display. But if it *is* important that the user
know that it's there for the future, leave it disabled and visible,
IMHO.
 
Ken Ray
Sons of Thunder Software
Email: kray at sonsothunder.com
Web Site: http://www.sonsothunder.com/