Case
In our software, we have a list of modules/options that the user can enable or disable.
Each enabled module has a severe performance impact on the CPU, so to avoid crashes, we decided to hard-limit the amount of modules the user can enable. I was looking for ways to display this limit.
Method 1: Label with "X/10"
A very simple method would be to display a label with the hard limit maximum and the current selected amount of modules. The user cannot exceed the amount at any time.
Pros
- Simple to create
- Instantly clear how many modules are activated
- Instantly clear what the limit is
Cons
- No clear reason why limit exists
Method 2: "Load"-bar
Another option i had in mind was displaying a progressbar that would act as a "CPU load" indicator. If more modules are enabled, the progressbar would fill up and change color. In the background, the hardlimit still exists.
Pros
- Visually more pleasing
- Clear reason for limit=
Cons
- Hardlimit number is unknown for user
- I work at NASA and my super-PC can only activate 7 items, just like my crappy old laptop.
