Re: [Pan-users] Modal "Next" and "Back" buttons?

[Ed Goforth]

 Charles Kerr wrote:
> The disadvantages:
> 
>   D1. Add a keystroke each time you change modes.
>   D2. Have to remember what mode you're in. (statusbar mode icons?)
>   D3. My fingers have the old accels memorized. ;)
> 


Charles,

The subject talks about the buttons, but the description is about the
menu entries.  On the menu, I think anything goes because you've
consciously navigated there.  But as for buttons...  I only like modal
buttons where it is _obvious_ at a glance what the current mode is, not
just by hovering over the button.  I hate the T-Bird junk button just
because of that - you can't tell what it's going to do without either
hovering over it or gleaning it from other cues.  But my Firefox
stop-reload button I love because it is always clear what it is going to
do.  Both the color and the image on the button change.

Now the difficulty is how to distinctively show four different possible
states on one button.  Perhaps divide it into quadrants and a different
one is "lit" based on the mode?

Thanks for listening,
Ed