Linked by Thom Holwerda on Sat 16th Aug 2008 16:50 UTC
Graphics, User Interfaces This is the eighth article in a series on common usability and graphical user interface related terms [part I | part II | part III | part IV | part V | part VI | part VII]. On the internet, and especially in forum discussions like we all have here on OSNews, it is almost certain that in any given discussion, someone will most likely bring up usability and GUI related terms - things like spatial memory, widgets, consistency, Fitts' Law, and more. The aim of this series is to explain these terms, learn something about their origins, and finally rate their importance in the field of usability and (graphical) user interface design. In part VIII, we focus on the tab.
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RE: Taskbars
by Doc Pain on Sat 16th Aug 2008 23:23 UTC in reply to "Taskbars"
Doc Pain
Member since:
2006-10-08

For my own usage patterns at least, I find it fairly helpful to have a global app-switching mechanism that lets you select individual apps, then a local/app-specific mechanism that lets you select documents within those apps.


An additional fact worth mentioning is that different applications tend to handle tabbing control differently (different locations, different behaviour to mouse clicks and different key bindings). While you are usually familiar with how your favourite window manager changes content globally, you mostly need to have a look at which application is running at the moment and how to change its content through tabbing.

There is a fairly simple, logical explanation: people are willing to put up with a bit of extra complexity if there's a significant added benefit.


Oh yes? :-)

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