Overlay Button Layout

Closing-X to the corner! (and reaching to the very last pixel)

https://msujaws.wordpress.com/2011/07/11/applying-fitts-law-to-commonly-used-buttons/
from Stardock Forums

Hi everybody,

I love Modern Mix but run into a usability problem after getting used to Windows 8.1.1:

Without Modern Mix (or with the overlay hidden) it is absolutely easy to close a modern app by moving the mouse pointer to the upper right corner and clicking the close-button on the title bar.
With the overlay enabled though, I cant just click to close (or to change to window mode), as

a] the overlay buttons won't reach to the corner (wich is really bad!)

b] the close button is only the second one from the right (wich is equally bad).

The Windows 8 experience (as well as Windows 7!!!) is tuned to use even the very outmost pixel of the screen for closing a window/app, for the start button and the active corners in 8.x.
Modern Mix should take this into account, as it is not only Microsofts policy but the result of intense usability research in the first place!

(see the external link above for UI design and Fitt's Law)

So I'd ask for a favour:

a] make the overlay and it's rightmost button reach to the utmost pixel in the corner

b] change the position of the overlay buttons so the close button is in the corner (or make it at least n option of two layouts to choose from!).

It may not sound so important, but will improve usability a big deal!
Thanks in advance,

Andy

modernmix
4,434 views 4 replies
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

ok, I added two screenshots. Ticket-ID is #VHH-640-40633.

Hope this helps clarifying what I meant in my post.

Thanks,

Andreas

SoundPackager - Customize the Windows sound scheme
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

Here are the screenshots, again:

The overlay has two main usability problems (in my eyes):

  1. the close button is NOT in the corner, nor does the button in the corner work all the way to the last pixel.
  2. it appears with a delay (even if only about 150ms or so)

I for my part would definitely prefer changed behaviour and appearance:

  1. Move the CLOSE button to the upper right corner and the Fullscreen/window button to the left of it
  2. Make the all the pixels up to the very last one in the corner ACTIVE just as with the stock titlebar and the start button, so if you move the mouse right into the corner (wich will be 99.99% of all movements to the corner anyway!) the close button will still work.

In every other scenario you'll need to first move the mouse pointer to the corner, stop and reverse movement to find the appropriate button (regardless of the overlay layout!) and then stop again and click on the preferred button.

I hope this will make my post more understandable and will help to improve this otherwise brilliant product :-)

Thanks,
Andy

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

Thank you for the feedback.

1 - This is working/displaying as intended.

2 - That sounds normal, though my delay here is quite short.