Re: Status Bar Help

Subject: Re: Status Bar Help
From: "E. Gail Miedema" <egail -at- TELEPORT -dot- COM>
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1998 10:11:09 -0700

On Thu, 8 Oct 1998, Cressey, Lisa wrote:

> Another developer within the company suggested expanding the use of the
> Status Bar and show the valid values there, but the development team is
> crying because it does not comply with Microsoft guidelines for status
> bar help.
>
> Has anyone ever expanded the use of the Status Bar or have any
> suggestions?

I write the status bar messages for our current C++ application.
I have always believed in maximum use of screen real estate, especially
for documentation designed to assist the user. To that end, I have
expanded the standard messages.

Augmenting the standard "For Help, press F1" status bar message, I have
composed the message to read "For Help, press F1. Or press Shift+F1, then
click any window item."

If your proposed status bar messages will help users perform their tasks,
then this is in accordance with Microsoft guidelines. Let's face it,
Microsoft's developers have done a fantastic job both in the engineering
of software and the documenting of it. (Regardless of what we think of
their business practices.) Any move toward improving on what they have
done is not, in my opinion, opposed to their guidelines, but merely moving
forward from their starting point.

I would survey the status bar messages in every application you have
installed on your desktop. This will show you there are many variations on
the same theme going on, plus, there are many places where improvements
can be made. If you believe showing the valid values of fields in your
status bar will make the application easier to use, showing the results of
this survey to your developers can help you make your case.

Good luck,
--E. Gail Miedema
Senior Information Designer
Dynamics Research Corporation

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