[kde-guidelines] Styleguide: Check boxes

[Thomas Pfeiffer]

On Tuesday 28 May 2013 15:48:19 Heiko Tietze wrote:
> * generic structure applied
> * old purpose "Check boxes are a widget to enable one or more options in a
> group."  replaced by "A ''check box'' is a control that permits the user to
> make multiple selections from a number of options. Check boxes are used to
> toggle an option on or off, or to select or deselect an item. Users make a
> decision between two clearly opposite choices (on (vs. off), apply (vs.
> don't apply), show (vs. hide). etc.). Check boxes are used to toggle an
> option on or off, or to select or deselect an item." -> Is it too much
> redundant?
> 
> * added: "Don't use a check box if the opposite is ambiguous."
> * added: "Don't use the selection to perform commands or to dynamically
> display other controls and windows" * added: "Use the mixed state only to
> indicate that an option is set for some, but not all, child objects. Mixed
> state must not be used to represent a third state." * added: "Users must
> not be able to set a mixed state directly."
> * added: "Clicking a mixed state check box enabled all child objects. "
> * added: "Align groups of check boxes vertically rather than horizontally,
> as this makes them easier to scan visually. Use horizontal or rectangular
> alignments only if they greatly improve the layout of the window. "

A comment on my blog post just reminded me that we should explicitly 
discourage the use of sliding switches in Desktop applications. The standard 
Plasma component for sliding switches automatically draws a checkbox in a non-
touchscreen-environment, but a heated discussion on the Plasma mailing list 
shows that some developers are even willing to fork the component only to get 
their switches in their Desktop application.
Those developers will probably just disregard the HIG as well, but at least 
other Plasma developers can point to the HIG and say "See, it's in the HIG as 
well!"
I'd suggest adding the following guideline:
"Do not use sliding switches in Desktop applications. They only offer good user 
interaction on touch screens, so they should only be used in applications for 
Plasma Active"