[Sigia-l] readability and contextual linking

[Tanya Rabourn]

On Jan 19, 2005, at 12:33 PM, Bill Pawlak wrote:
> I wrote a short "coffee talk" on this issue a while back, but it might
> be relevant.  Not formally research-based, but observational data
> combined with some participant interviewing.
>
> http://www.inovdesigns.com/learning/inline_links.html
>

There are some good tips there, Bill, although I don't agree with 
avoiding them altogether. They can be useful. I think you can enhance 
readability through better visual design. I believe it works if the 
contrast between regular text and links decreases with the density of 
links. (But never reduced so much that you can't tell the difference 
and therefore scanning for links is impossible.)

On Jan 19, 2005, at 12:45 PM, Anders Ramsay wrote:
<snip>

>   In other words, only when the user places their
> cursor over the cross-reference does an underline appear, giving them
> focused feedback without making the page as a whole noisy.

Wouldn't that produce the braille effect if contrast is reduced 
entirely?
http://www.info-arch.org/lists/sigia-l/0103/0307.html
Christina: "I've been in a lot of tests recently where people used 
"Braille" to find links-- they ran their mouse across the page and 
watched for the hand to show up. Kinda of a cruel thing to force users 
to do, no?"

Or are you saying it will just be more subtle?

-Tanya