Independent Human Interface Guidelines

An anonymous reader alerts us to the IndieHIG Wiki, which is an independent effort to pick up the ball that Apple has dropped on human interface guidelines (can you spell FTFF?). From the wiki: "The IndieHIG project is an initiative created out of the necessity to document the new look and feel aspects of the Mac OS X experience, outside of the supervision of Apple itself. The project is not intended to replace, but rather to supplement the somewhat dated Apple Human Interface Guidelines (HIG). There are many instances of Apple using new and experimental interface styles, spurring developers to emulate these styles in their own applications. Unfortunately, because Apple provides neither guidelines nor code for developers to work with, the implementation of these interface styles and features by third parties can be lopsided and directionless. The IndieHIG intends to change this by providing a comprehensive set of guidelines governing the use and appearance of new, undocumented interface elements so that their implementation by third party developers adheres to the unwritten standards that Apple has set."

Re:Maybe KDE & Gnome Folk Will Read...

[Anonymous Coward]

It has a pretty skin.

A Proud Tradition

[Smight]

I'm so happy a group of enthusiasts has come together to make sure everyone thinking of making programs will put form before function. One time I was thinking about putting five buttons on a mouse, but then the Human Interface Guideline Coalition shut me down and informed me that humans sometimes have all of their fingers on one hand mashed into a pulp with a hammer and burnt with cigarettes so they can only effectively use one button. I can tell you I never made THAT mistake again!

Re:UI standards wouldn't hurt

[Divebus]

Maybe the paper punch tape has too much drag on it. Loosen the supply reel brake a little.

Re:Maybe KDE & Gnome Folk Will Read...

[mushadv]

If you think this [ubuntu.com] colour looks like poop, you should visit your optometrist.

Or your proctologist.

Microsoft's User Interface Guidelines

[Kadin2048]

Microsoft has had design and UI guidelines out forever. An awful lot of 'developers' do not know, or fail to heed..but they've been out there.

Yeah, they've been on display in the bottom of a locked file cabinet in a disused lavatory in the unlit sub-basement of an abandoned garden shed on the outskirts of the Redmond campus for years!

Re:Microsoft's User Interface Guidelines

[@madeus]

....with a sign on the door saying "Beware of [the] Leopard"

Re:UI standards wouldn't hurt

[Fear the Clam]

Look, people, it's a gnu, okay? Not a goat.