program installed on user's machine as opposed to a program that runs remotely and is accessed via an internet browser.
2
votes
4answers
217 views
Disable combobox with one entry?
Imagine an arbitrary list of items. To execute a command, the user has to select one of these items in a combobox (if there are no items, the combobox is not shown at all). Should the combobox be ...
3
votes
2answers
66 views
“Important” Items Box versus Pinned Items
I am designing an application which has panel with a list of items. The items in the list can be re-ordered by drag and drop:
The number of items in the list has the potential to be very large.
In ...
0
votes
3answers
80 views
placement of interaction elements on screen?
What is the best place for interaction elements?
Here's the situation: In our software there is an object (in this case a list with several items) that a user wants to work on. A user could perform ...
2
votes
2answers
68 views
How best to handle a popup gaining focus in the middle of the user typing?
Often I'll set some process off, then change focus to another program and be typing away in a textbox (for example), when the first thing pops up into view, maybe with a Yes / No box which I'd then ...
10
votes
3answers
198 views
Can placing dark and light elements or blocks next to each other in a UI lead to problems in visual perception?
A designer on my project has proposed something that uses both light and dark backgrounds within the same context (basic mockups below).
A short background for the app:
It is a platform on which ...
2
votes
4answers
241 views
What's the cleanest option for a loading indicator in a login dialog?
I have a login dialog for a desktop application, something like this:
download bmml source – Wireframes created with Balsamiq Mockups
When the user clicks on Login, the color of the ...
4
votes
2answers
98 views
Change button for color input modes
I have this SWT widget (color picker) with label:
By pressing the star button, color picker field transforms into code field, where you can write code:
I am not satisfied with this "star ...
8
votes
3answers
185 views
Why do menu labels behave differently in desktop applications and websites?
In a desktop application when you click a menu, you see all the options which reside within it, in a drop-down/pop-up list.
In many websites with a navigation menu which has sub-categories, I have ...
4
votes
2answers
122 views
Log add to top or bottom
In my WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation) application I have a log that display important events in the application.
I'm unsure where to add new events? Or in other words, how should I sort the ...
6
votes
6answers
383 views
Why does Skype's “x” button minimize the application instead of closing?
I was browsing through the web and I came across this sentiment:
Dear Skype, this (red X) button means close, not minimize
I also found the same question on the Skype website. Why would a ...
-1
votes
2answers
136 views
How can I learn to make solid UX design recommendations/solutions? [closed]
I started out in UX as a wireframing monkey, crafting designs dictated by other people. I want to learn how to devise my own design solutions. How can I be sure I'm giving solid recs?
I'm working on ...
19
votes
5answers
12k views
Is there a Windows 8 desktop UI Guideline or HIG anywhere in the world?
And I don't mean Win 7 / Metro UI guidelines, I have them up the wazoo, but I've changed jobs and need to start looking at the new Windows 8 DESKTOP design. I know it takes a lot of cues from Metro on ...
1
vote
2answers
91 views
Changing keyboard shortcuts that has been introduced quite a while?
Let's say I have developed a publicly available application which has a keyboard shortcut available. However, after a while of further development, I've decided that the current keyboard shortcut is ...
1
vote
3answers
81 views
Visualizing structure and intermediate results of a computation
I have a financial desktop application and there are many places where different computations are performed and a single number (or a couple numbers) is shown as a result.
Very often users are ...
-1
votes
3answers
117 views
When to use desktop class application on web [closed]
We are developing a third version of Digital Asset Management Software. We are now have problems about selecting platform for next version. We have to select between
Desktop Application: Develop by ...
5
votes
2answers
111 views
Correct ordering position for 'Yes', 'No' and 'Not now'?
What is the correct position for the 3 buttons:
Yes - No - Not now
(or Yes - No - Later)
is it Yes - No - Not now
or is it Yes - Not now - No
This will be on a windows 7 windows application, on ...
5
votes
3answers
102 views
Reasonable webpage file size
What sort of file size is currently reasonable for a webpage? Considering a responsive design being served to both a desktop with a high-bandwidth connection and a slow connection mobile device.
-2
votes
1answer
39 views
Auto opening applications on OS load [closed]
Something really irks me about Spotify. When you install their application, they chose to have the application auto open when you first load your operating system. It's an opt out scenario, where ...
10
votes
2answers
184 views
Is Desktop Window Title Necessary?
I'm currently working on a desktop app and wonder if the program name is really necessary in the title bar?
I know that latest versions of App Store and iTunes doesn't have it at all. But if we ...
8
votes
6answers
693 views
iPhone like UI for Desktop apps
Is there any reason why an iPhone like UI paradigms shouldn't be adopted while designing a desktop application? Let's say you're developing a windows application, can you not use something similar to ...
7
votes
1answer
100 views
Best practice to ask for donation on a windows application?
How to ask for donation on a free windows application, without risking being pushy ?
This old question is only talking about websites: Best UX to ask for donations
I want to remind people to donate, ...
1
vote
2answers
83 views
Should I alter the size of various icons when displayed on different resolution devices?
I know that images look smaller or bigger depending on the screen resolution so an image (say 10x10) would look bigger on a less resolution display and look tiny on a higher resolution display.
I ...
5
votes
4answers
526 views
Software startup screens [closed]
I know there is advice (and very good advice at that) to generally not have startup/welcome screens in software.
Our software I think has a legitimate need for one, our free download is served from ...
-1
votes
3answers
112 views
Will tablet computing eventually replace desktop computing? [closed]
One of my friends has argued that tablets will one day replace desktop (and laptop) computing. His main argument is that there's a trend away from desktop computing to tablet computing and that sales ...
6
votes
3answers
156 views
How to handle long processing task in UI?
We have a Desktop based WinForms application. Application performs some very complex logic in database and is bound to take long time. By long time i mean it will take anything from 1 min to 20 min ...
45
votes
18answers
2k views
How can I keep up-to-date with the latest thinking about designing complex, rich applications?
I am designing a very complex eco-system of apps.
I like to make sure I am up-to-date with the latest thinking, research and trends in app and UI/UX design. I find that there are many great articles, ...
1
vote
0answers
76 views
would a small application to store temporary data be useful [closed]
I am planning to create a nice free small application and I need your expert opinion about whether this application would be useful or not. Here we go:
Details about the Application
Imagine you ...
0
votes
1answer
119 views
Mouse heatmaps in desktop applications [closed]
Do you any good software that can create mouse move/click/right click heatmaps in a desktop application like a game, office suite etc.? Preferably including key detection, heatmap image saving etc. I ...
6
votes
4answers
512 views
What are good examples of custom/skinned user interfaces? [closed]
In relation to the question of when should you skin your application (desktop apps, not web pages, which are almost always customised), it seems a real fact, that sometimes you just have to do it, ...
1
vote
0answers
172 views
Suggestion for Desktop Application Design [closed]
I am working on wireframes for desktop application, its collaboration system for paramedical staff like chatting and communication stuff.
Now i need to create GUI, Can anyone suggest me that if i ...
4
votes
2answers
637 views
How to let the user add and edit items in a ComboBox? (WinForms)
In my WinForms application there is a ComboBox with default values. The user should be able to add items to the ComboBox or rename existing items.
I want the design to be simplistic. This was my ...
9
votes
13answers
635 views
When would you prefer a custom/skinned user interface in a desktop application?
I'm working on an application whose UI is skin-based, but it looks a little bit old (its graphics were designed more than 5 yeas ago). It's not clear to me whether we should consider a redesign or get ...
2
votes
4answers
494 views
Questions to be asked in a survey for Desktop Application
Can you experts please let me know some questions that can be asked in a survey?
We have just released an updated version of our data security (encryption) desktop application but the response is not ...
4
votes
2answers
502 views
UI pattern for showing progress of concurrent tasks?
This is in the context of a desktop application.
Typically if you fire off a request to some back end server then it is nice to be able to show some sort of progress indicator in say the status with ...
4
votes
4answers
336 views
Should a desktop app open by default in fullscreen mode?
I'm currently building a multi platform desktop app. Should the app open by default in fullscreen mode?
8
votes
4answers
233 views
Is there ever a circumstance where the user should be notified of a user interface no-op?
The headline may be a bit confusing, so here's a web example (although this question is equally applicable to desktop applications):
I open up the same eBay listing in 2 separate tabs of my web ...
8
votes
2answers
181 views
Has user testing ever revealed that you have to change your app's UI colour?
Dark-themed UI colours have been popular for a while on certain desktop applications (Adobe Lightroom as an example), and seem to be popping up on mobile applications as well. I'm referring to the ...
1
vote
0answers
57 views
A Linux OS as Single Display Groupware [closed]
I was told on the Linux stack exchange that this was a better place to post this question.
http://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/59199/a-linux-os-as-single-display-groupware
For use in extreme ...
3
votes
3answers
97 views
Saving multiple files on program close
I have a Windows desktop application that can handle multiple files open on one canvas (in one instance of the program). You can modify and save each file individually, or all in one go.
If a user ...
4
votes
2answers
106 views
confusing software-install flow for web-app
I am working on a web-app that has an application to listen to audio. The problem is the playback software requires another piece of software just for the items to be placed on the playback software. ...
4
votes
4answers
151 views
Other solution than Wizard to set up complex object?
I'm prototyping an application that manipulate complex object (4 tabs of settings, with a total of 30 different parameters). The software can suggest (by default value) almost all of theses parameter ...
19
votes
6answers
1k views
Search box UI - “all words”, “partial match”, “exact phrase”
I'm designing a desktop application (boring accounting stuff) and I have a "search product" feature.
I want to have a nice but simple 'smart' search box. Currently, the search box works by splitting ...
5
votes
4answers
391 views
The logic behind having an OK button and Apply button
Moving back to desktop land after being drunk with mobile interfaces, desktop dialogs almost always have these three buttons:
OK
Apply
Cancel
A close button.
This pattern seems to occur on both ...
3
votes
1answer
71 views
Settings dialog with multiple tabs: same options on two different tabs?
I am designing a settings dialog with multiple tabs for our desktop application. There is a particular (small) group of options that is applicable to two separate tabs in the settings dialog. I ...
2
votes
1answer
150 views
Disabled input fields vs plain text
in this question (How do I choose between disabled input fields and plain text for a read only view?) the problem has been discussed for web.
Do these answers also apply for desktop apps? I have this ...
3
votes
4answers
630 views
Why doesn't eclipse have an installer?
After all these years in development, the lack of an installer for Eclipse might indicate some relevant reasoning from the developers.
Are there any benefits for its users from not having an ...
3
votes
6answers
415 views
How can I improve the perceived performance of a desktop application?
We've build quite a 'large' and regrettably slow windows application for various financial planning business steps.
I'm currently trying to improve the performance of the application by slowly ...
10
votes
2answers
246 views
Choosing appropriate words for error levels
I develop an open-source, system monitoring tool, ServiceMon, and I'd really appreciate some help choosing the right words to use for a feature.
The state of the system that is being monitored is ...
12
votes
3answers
251 views
What are the reasons why the mobile apps market is more developed and active than the desktop one?
What are the reasons why the mobile apps market is more developed and active than the desktop one?
4
votes
6answers
449 views
Good example of a Keyboard Shortcut Manager implementation [closed]
I am implementing a keyboard shortcut manager in which the user can assign shortcut keys to global (or contextual) commands in a Windows desktop application. Note that the application has load of ...
