Comments on: Address Book: Use of Escape key sets dangerous precedent http://www.betalogue.com/2007/07/31/address-book-use-of-escape-key-sets-dangerous-precedent/ Notes from an unfinished world… Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:29:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Pierre Igot http://www.betalogue.com/2007/07/31/address-book-use-of-escape-key-sets-dangerous-precedent/comment-page-1/#comment-7792 Pierre Igot Wed, 12 Dec 2007 13:26:26 +0000 http://www.betalogue.com/2007/07/31/address-book-use-of-escape-key-sets-dangerous-precedent/#comment-7792 The reason I find it problematic (albeit convenient) is that, somewhat subconsciously, it has led me to believe that I could validate text entry in other applications by pressing the Esc key—when in fact in those other applications pressing the Esc key exits the Edit mode without saving the changes. So if I don't pay attention, I end up losing my text entry and not even noticing it. I find this rather dangerous. The reason I find it problematic (albeit convenient) is that, somewhat subconsciously, it has led me to believe that I could validate text entry in other applications by pressing the Esc key—when in fact in those other applications pressing the Esc key exits the Edit mode without saving the changes. So if I don’t pay attention, I end up losing my text entry and not even noticing it. I find this rather dangerous.

]]> By: danridley http://www.betalogue.com/2007/07/31/address-book-use-of-escape-key-sets-dangerous-precedent/comment-page-1/#comment-7791 danridley Wed, 12 Dec 2007 07:38:01 +0000 http://www.betalogue.com/2007/07/31/address-book-use-of-escape-key-sets-dangerous-precedent/#comment-7791 Yes, but it's by no means universally used for "exit without saving," and as you said yourself, it's so damn convenient. Why give up that convenience in the name of consistency that isn't really consistent at all? I don't think the meaning of Esc in a dialog box should change; that one *is* consistent now. So is using Esc to cancel a drag-and-drop operation. But applications overload Esc for all sorts of domain-specific things, and I think "go back to the normal mode of this application" is perfectly sensible. In apps like OmniFocus, Address Book and iCal there's no "save" step involved anyway... it doesn't matter what field or mode you're in, if you make a change the only way out is Undo. Yes, but it’s by no means universally used for “exit without saving,” and as you said yourself, it’s so damn convenient. Why give up that convenience in the name of consistency that isn’t really consistent at all?

I don’t think the meaning of Esc in a dialog box should change; that one *is* consistent now. So is using Esc to cancel a drag-and-drop operation.

But applications overload Esc for all sorts of domain-specific things, and I think “go back to the normal mode of this application” is perfectly sensible. In apps like OmniFocus, Address Book and iCal there’s no “save” step involved anyway… it doesn’t matter what field or mode you’re in, if you make a change the only way out is Undo.

]]> By: Pierre Igot http://www.betalogue.com/2007/07/31/address-book-use-of-escape-key-sets-dangerous-precedent/comment-page-1/#comment-7788 Pierre Igot Tue, 11 Dec 2007 13:05:24 +0000 http://www.betalogue.com/2007/07/31/address-book-use-of-escape-key-sets-dangerous-precedent/#comment-7788 I realize that "Escape" and "Exit" are somewhat synonymous, but the trouble is that there are plenty of other contexts in Mac OS X where pressing the Esc key exits a dialog box/field without saving the changes. There is exiting and then there is exiting. Since Esc is also the shortcut for Cancel, it's logical to expect Esc to be the shortcut for "Exit without saving" and not for "Save and Exit." I realize that “Escape” and “Exit” are somewhat synonymous, but the trouble is that there are plenty of other contexts in Mac OS X where pressing the Esc key exits a dialog box/field without saving the changes. There is exiting and then there is exiting. Since Esc is also the shortcut for Cancel, it’s logical to expect Esc to be the shortcut for “Exit without saving” and not for “Save and Exit.”

]]> By: danridley http://www.betalogue.com/2007/07/31/address-book-use-of-escape-key-sets-dangerous-precedent/comment-page-1/#comment-7787 danridley Tue, 11 Dec 2007 05:08:16 +0000 http://www.betalogue.com/2007/07/31/address-book-use-of-escape-key-sets-dangerous-precedent/#comment-7787 OmniFocus is just doing what OmniOutliner's done for a long time. I don't find the behavior of Esc in Address Book and iCal (or Omni*) to be either wrong or confusing. Esc has always had a double meaning; "cancel" or "leave this mode." In an app like those four examples, where there's a clear sense that editing is a specific mode that you enter and leave as needed, Esc to exit edit mode makes sense to me. I think you found an Excel bug :-) OmniFocus is just doing what OmniOutliner’s done for a long time.

I don’t find the behavior of Esc in Address Book and iCal (or Omni*) to be either wrong or confusing. Esc has always had a double meaning; “cancel” or “leave this mode.” In an app like those four examples, where there’s a clear sense that editing is a specific mode that you enter and leave as needed, Esc to exit edit mode makes sense to me.

I think you found an Excel bug :-)

]]> By: alanterra http://www.betalogue.com/2007/07/31/address-book-use-of-escape-key-sets-dangerous-precedent/comment-page-1/#comment-7785 alanterra Sat, 08 Dec 2007 17:50:35 +0000 http://www.betalogue.com/2007/07/31/address-book-use-of-escape-key-sets-dangerous-precedent/#comment-7785 OmniFocus is following this convention as well. Thank you, Apple, for another step towards making computers harder to use. OmniFocus is following this convention as well. Thank you, Apple, for another step towards making computers harder to use.

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