[Sigia-l] DHTML Menus and Usability

[Listera]

"David Heller" wrote:

> That's why there are GUI standards for non-web apps.

And they change. 

There was a time when drag and drop didn't exist. Neither did hierarchical
lists, combo boxes, contextual menus, taskbars, spring-loaded folders,
column-view file explorers, single-click file navigation a la web,
overlapping windows, etc. "GUI standards" is a fast moving target if you
have a bit of historical perspective. Flash alone introduced many UI
notions, many bad some good. Even Jakob says Flash MX is 99% good ;-) This
notion that there's a sacrosanct "GUI standard" is quite outdated, just like
the notion that there's only one OS, one GUI, one development platform, one
key app, etc. 
 
> Can we push this glass ceiling? Sure.

So why don't you?

> I can also quit my job and start a high end consulting company and plan to be
> broke in a month. ;-)

It's one thing to justify UI choices with paychecks, it's another to justify
them on merit.
 
> Now, lets take this back to the web for a minute and I'm going to
> contradict myself and say why web apps need to find new metaphors and
> paradigms for web-based applications.

I knew you were more sensible than the above ;-)

> They are IN an application already. Myself include often go to the "file" menu
> of IE instead of to the "File" menu in my own app by mistake. This is the big
> failing of web-based apps that try to mimic desktop apps too closely. It is an
> app in an app already.

Well, then, welcome to the web ;-)

Now, I'm not going to deny that it's easier to make money on the notion that
you should give people what they think they need. The commodity part of the
bell curve is the fattest part, to be sure.

Best,

Ziya