RE: [mediaqueries4] pointer: coarse and pannable, zoomable viewports

[Tab Atkins Jr.:]

> > The UA picks the lowest resolution pointer available, right? A Surface
> > with its type cover or a laptop with a touch screen have both coarse and
> fine pointers.
> 
> We've had similar internal discussion, for what to do if you've got a
> laptop with both a touchpad (fine) and a touchscreen (coarse).  Our rough
> consensus was that the device chooses whichever one it expects the user to
> most often use.
> 
I really have no idea how the device would know which one to pick, and that
sounds disturbing to me: when the device's expectation changes then my app 
layout would suddenly reflow? 

Granted, matching the least precise pointer available implies anything with 
a touch screen would only ever apply touch-oriented layout and styling; but 
though those may make somewhat less efficient use of the viewport such UIs 
work fine with a mouse-like pointer and it seems better than making apps 
or sites arbitrarily reflow while they're being used...

Received on Wednesday, 12 December 2012 20:40:02 UTC