https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=435043
Bug ID: 435043
Summary: Prohibitory sign doesn't mean cancel/stop, it means
(you/user) can't do that
Product: Discover
Version: 5.21.3
Platform: unspecified
OS: Linux
Status: REPORTED
Severity: minor
Priority: NOR
Component: discover
Assignee: lei...@leinir.dk
Reporter: redb...@redbearnet.com
CC: aleix...@kde.org
Target Milestone: ---
Created attachment 137120
--> https://bugs.kde.org/attachment.cgi?id=137120&action=edit
Prohibitory sign symbol on cancel buttons
SUMMARY
I've noticed that Discover (possibly other places in KDE, not sure) is using
the "prohibitory sign" or "no symbol" (the circle with slash) as a symbol on
"cancel/stop" buttons. It is also used by itself on buttons with no text that
are meant to "cancel" some activity like the installation of a package.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_symbol
I don't think this is the most appropriate symbol to be using for a "cancel"
button or action. The prohibitory sign is normally meant to convey that
something is forbidden or unavailable, or that an action can't be completed.
Based on its historical usage in computer UIs, it gives the impression that
something is "broken" or "not working".
The standard for "cancel/stop" that most modern UIs seem to have coalesced
around is the graphical squared-off "X" symbol. The same thing that you
generally find in the corner of every desktop window or browser/document tab.
Everyone knows what it means. The "X" means stop, close, go away, quit, cancel.
"Stop doing what you're doing."
When I see the prohibitory sign just hovering there in a dialog about software
installation, my brain thinks, "What, is something going wrong with the
install? Or is the symbol that was supposed to be displayed here not found?"
It just doesn't feel right.
I have no idea if this is isolated to KDE Neon or a specific global theme or
icon theme. I'm putting this in the Discover section because that's where I
most frequently notice encountering the symbol. But I notice that it's also on
the "Cancel" button in the dialog that comes up asking for authorization to
install a package. So maybe it's system-wide and used all over the place.
In any case, I've been using KDE Neon for a month or so and that symbol is
still weirding me out every time I see it. It just makes me think "something's
wrong" or "something's broken", because that is normally when you see that
symbol. Like when your Mac can't find its boot drive. That's the symbol that
gets displayed when your system is b0rked. When an icon file is missing, or
similar situations.
The prohibitory sign does mean "no, don't do that", but its intention is
normally directed at the person viewing the sign. In this case that is the
user. So by using the prohibitory sign, you are in effect telling the user,
"no, don't do that". There are many places where that might be appropriate to
convey information to the user, but I don't believe that general "cancel/stop"
buttons throughout the KDE environment are one of those places.
A good use of the prohibitory symbol is when it appears attached to the mouse
cursor when you try to drag some object to a place where it can't be dropped.
In that case it clearly conveys to the user, "Hey, you can't do that, it won't
work". That's helpful.
But what it conveys subconsciously when displayed on a cancel button is, "Don't
press this button. It won't work, or the results will be bad." I don't think
that's the message you really wanted to convey when displaying cancel buttons.
Please consider replacing the prohibitory sign with a graphical "X" symbol in
these contexts (cancel/stop buttons).
If this is just a theming issue I guess that would just make it an issue with
the Breeze theme or any other theme that displays symbols on buttons. I'm not
sure how it works in KDE. I notice other themes make the symbols disappear from
the buttons, but that also means the "text-less" button in the Tasks dialog no
longer has a symbol displayed at all, so those buttons become invisible unless
you know where they are. And for the themes that do display those symbols on
buttons, there must be a code involved with cancel buttons that triggers the
display of the prohibitory sign. That code would need to be changed to trigger
the display of the "X" symbol instead.
I'm just an end user, so I'm not clear on exactly what would be involved to
make this make more sense.
I guess the text-less buttons that disappear on non-symbol themes is a separate
but related issue. That should not be happening. Text-less buttons need their
own symbol that is guaranteed to be displayed even if the current theme doesn't
replace it.
STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Install some software in Discover. Look for the cancel button.
2. Look at the cancel button on the authorization dialog.
3. Click on the Tasks... thingie. Look at the button to cancel (no text).
Or, see attached screenshot.
SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Linux/KDE Plasma: 5.21.3
Current KDE Neon User Edition, everything updated.
--
You are receiving this mail because:
You are watching all bug changes.
