[svg-developers] Re: SVG Widgets vs Native Widgets

One additional argument for why system-level controls are needed.

Consider a drop-down menu (<select>) of US state abbreviations, like:
	AK
	AL
	AR
	AS
	AZ
	...

On Windows, focusing such a select and desiring to select "AS" through 
the keyboard, the user keeps pressing "A" until AS appears. 
"AAAA"=="AS". (And you don't even know how close you are...you just 
have to keep watching each one change until you see the right one.) 
Ludicrous, but that's how it works.

On MacOS, you type "AS". Boom, done. Logical.

If I wrote my own <select> widget and put in this keyboard feature, 
what would I do? I'd choose the MacOS way. And then the Windows users 
would keep pressing "A" and only getting AK, and wondering why it 
doesn't work. If I choose the Windows way (the majority must be right) 
then all the MacOS users would type "AS" and get "SC", and be really 
confused.

I have no idea what various Linux front-ends or BeOS or AmigaOS do. Do 
you?

There are many little difference like this from OS to OS. I accept that 
some people want to make funky cool interfaces with new exciting 
functionality. I accept that for others the point of their SVG 
interface is not usability, but exploration. Please accept that SVG 
also needs an integral way to hook into OS-specific widgets, for those 
SVG applications where usability is key.

Received on Tuesday, 7 October 2003 18:49:17 UTC