07-29-2004, 08:00 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Broken Scenario, Episode 1: That Darn "X" Button
Since the first Pocket PC OS was shown to a group of MVPs in late 1999, we've all been complaining about the broken functionality of the "X" button. We've ranted, railed, begged and pleaded. We've made T-shirts mocking the "X" button. We've calmly explained scenario after scenario where a true clue button is needed. We've pointed out the fact that all OEMs bundle their own task switcher/killer applications, so maybe, just maybe, this is something the companies selling Pocket PCs want to see. We've told them stories about how one of the top questions new users ask is "How do I close applications?" and "Where do I get a program to help me switch tasks?". Almost five years later, nothing has changed, and we've all but given up. Still, I figured it couldn't hurt to tell one more story to reinforce what a broken scenario the "X" button is.
I have a client named Jane. She's a doctor, the head of a large medical organization, and she needs to use technology to keep up to speed on the tremendous amount of data that flies back and forth between her office and doctors in her organization. She also needs to access her desktop remotely to process patient files, so I set up the Terminal Services Client for her. She was able to log in and view the program, then came the obvious question "Ok, how do I shut this down"? Here's a paraphrased version of the conversation:
Jason: "Well, if you click on the little "X" it minimizes it, but doesn't close it. It keeps running in the background."
[I can see now by the look on her face that she's trying to figure out why one symbol means one thing in the desktop world, and the same symbol means something completely different in the Pocket PC world.]
Jane: "Ok, well, it can't stay running - that's a violation of our policies - I need to shut it down and disconnect."
Jason: "Ok, sure, you just bring up the keyboard and click Control+Q because that's an exit command in all Microsoft Pocket PC programs and...um...that didn't work. Hmm. That's strange..."
Jane: "Is there any other way to shut it down?"
Jason: "Sure, you just have to go START > SETTINGS > SYSTEM > MEMORY > RUNNING PROGRAMS then click STOP ALL, and if it won't stop like it's apparently doing right now you just need to click on END PROGRAM when this little window pops up because the program is hung and you need to manually kill it. Easy, right?"
Jane: Blank stare.
Jason: "Yeah, it's a bit complex. Here, I'll just tell it to you a few more times and hopefully you'll remember it..."
I'll likely end up installing WISbar or another task killer on her device, but the point of my story is that, from her standpoint, this is completely confusing and I agree. Microsoft maintains that there's no need for the "X" to close programs, because the memory management features of Windows Mobile will shut down programs as needed. In a perfect world, fine, we have no memory management issues.
What about the security risks of having an RDP connection open to confidential data, and the only way to break that connection is to go through a six-step process? And with the new improvements in Windows Mobile 2003, that GPRS connection stays active even when the device is put into suspend mode - so you have a more or less permanent connection at risk!
In our next thrilling episode of "Broken Scenario", I try to explain to my client Karl why a registry hack was needed in order for him to store his large email attachments on a storage card. Be sure to tune in next time!
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07-29-2004, 08:08 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 65
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Why don't you start up a petition to give to Microsoft to really show them how many users this really affects? I know I'd sign it.
- Silver
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07-29-2004, 08:12 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 55
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I've never heard a good explaination on why the X button minimizes the applications instead of closing them. I mean why wasn't there simply a minimize button and a close button? Too confusing?
Another massively stupid design decision by Microsoft is the lack of a generic "Cancel" button in their dialogs. Again I have never heard a good explaination for that "feature" either.
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07-29-2004, 08:25 PM
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Editorial Contributor
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 5,411
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Jason, I'm curious as to which PPC she has. If it is one of the two most popular, HP, it probably has iTask, which makes closing and switching apps easy, or Dell, it just needs to have a Switcher shortcut stuck in the startup folder to give easy switch or kill functionality.
If nothing else I'm sure you still have enough pull to comp her a copy of PocketPlus 
Not that I don't agree with the general consensus on the X, but I don't see it changing in anything called a Pocket PC. Maybe if there is an Longhorn-Handheld (Windows LH) or something someday, it could change without anyone losing face.
__________________
Sometimes you are the anteater, sometimes you are the ant.
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07-29-2004, 08:28 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by silver99
Why don't you start up a petition to give to Microsoft to really show them how many users this really affects? I know I'd sign it.
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Won't work. We've essentially done that with our frontpage posts here.
--janak
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07-29-2004, 08:36 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 486
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I've personally grown to really like the smart minimize functionalty. However I agree that the ICON used for this is stupid. It should be a minimize icon with a possible tap/hold to Quit function.
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07-29-2004, 08:46 PM
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Editorial Contributor
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 5,411
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by karlth
I've never heard a good explaination on why the X button minimizes the applications instead of closing them.
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That's easy, but most don't want to believe it. The concept was that memory management would take care of, switching things off if neccessary, providing more rapid response in applications the user used frequently. That was the genisis of the 'don't close' concept. The choice of X has been acknowledged as maybe a bad idea in hindsight. With no task bar to show open programs, the - (dash) for minimize wasn't entirely appropriate either. There wasn't any precedence for a 'background this app' icon.
Actually for a number of the 'normal' users I deal with, it doesn't make much difference to them. Most were barely aware that programs were running in the background. They turned on their devices change through the apps they want to use and turn it off. The average user doesn't even see any particular performance hit when working with a half a dozen stock apps open. I often help folks with issues and find at least that many apps running and generally that is not the problem.
__________________
Sometimes you are the anteater, sometimes you are the ant.
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07-29-2004, 09:01 PM
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Theorist
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 300
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Sven
Actually for a number of the 'normal' users I deal with, it doesn't make much difference to them. Most were barely aware that programs were running in the background. They turned on their devices change through the apps they want to use and turn it off. The average user doesn't even see any particular performance hit when working with a half a dozen stock apps open. I often help folks with issues and find at least that many apps running and generally that is not the problem.
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It almost always catches up with me and results in a soft-reset when things slow down to a complete halt. Also, when you turn on the device and have lots of apps open it can sometimes freeze up.
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07-29-2004, 09:04 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 22
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Maybe I'm missing something here but surely the correct way to terminate the RDP session is to log off the remote session. Otherwise you'll be leaving open the connection at the remote end which is just as bad as having the Pocket PC client open.
Also I could be wrong but I think that the Pocket PC Client will then detect this and close.
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07-29-2004, 09:05 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,329
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As I've stated before anyone wanna take bets on how many of the Pocket PC OS development team members run app closer utils? I'm betting they all do.
This attitude from Microsoft on closing applications is asinine. Yo Bill G. Repeat after me......
THIS IS A POCKET PC.....NOT A PALM....THIS IS NOT RUNNING THE PALM OS AND AS SUCH THINGS SLOW DOWN WHEN YOU DON'T CLOSE APPS.
Even with memory management it sucks. Try opening up an adobe file, play some music, dink around with a spreadsheet, and browse the web. It might not be eating a high % of memory but its killing the system anyways. Maybe some of the newer CPU's can handle this better but on my Jornada 568 it can slow the system down. Period. Closing apps at least on my system is mandatory.
I have and always will be totally confused by Microsoft's attitude on this. These type of utils are one of the must have apps on any Pocket PC. Heck even OEM's are loading them. Would it be so hard for Microsoft to have an option under the control panel that would allow you to select the behavior of the X.
For the love of god Microsoft!! WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COMMON SENSE!!
__________________
PDA History: Palm Pilot 5000 -> Apple Newton 2100 -> Casio E-11 -> iPaq 3650 (64MB Upgrade) -> iPaq 3700 -> Casio EM-500 -> HP Jornada 568 -> HP iPaq hx4705 www.spreadfirefox.com |
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