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It's a pretty complex operation for what it's usually used for. You have to...
-Target the file (precise pointing)
-Grab it
-While holding the mouse button, target the destination area, which is generally small if present at all and does not benefit from the infinite screen borders, unless you switch windows by doing a complex round trip to the task switcher while still holding your file.
Compared to copy&paste or, in this case, clicking an "install extension" button, this looks exceedingly complicated.
Maybe RISC OS has some kind of large permanently visible screen area dedicated to drag and drop, though. This could reduce the latter targeting problem at the cost of precious screen area. I've heard of one OS that had such a "shelf", though I can't remember how it was called.
Unless this firefox UI automatically opens the gear menu automatically, it doesn't have this for it, but you're right that I was being a bit harsh. Maybe drag and drop can be done right and made pleasant as compared to alternatives. I've just never seen a UI to date that made it a practical option. Delphi's form builder was close, but is was still simpler to single-click the control and single-click the form, instead of dragging the mouse around with the left finger pressed.
Edited 2011-08-03 08:26 UTC




Member since:
2009-10-23
Aside from touch based devices, what's wrong with drag 'n' drop? I've personally never found a GUI thats more fluid to use than RISC OS which is very heavy on that.