[WEB4LIB] java popups on library web sites

[Martin Courtois]

I think it's a great idea to provide information about what's in a link,
and Jared Spool in "Web Site Usability" mentions that the "success of a
link depends on: How well the user can predict where the link will lead
and How well the user can differentiate one link from other, nearby
links."

The information we provide about each link is valuable to the user, so
why make it disappear when the user moves the mouse?  How can users
compare and differentiate links when only one description is visible at a
time?  Rather, I would encourage you to consider a design where all the
descriptions are visible simultaneously.  See Arizona State University
Libraries (http://www.asu.edu/lib/) for a good example.

It certainly seems to be that everybodys poppin', but I wonder if this
technique will eventually go the way of "blink" and little, twirling "new"
gifs.

Marty

***********************************************************
Martin Courtois
Science/Engineering Librarian
Gelman Library
George Washington University
2130 H St., N.W.
Washington DC 20052
Phone: (202) 994-0684
FAX: (202) 994-1340
E-mail: courtois at gwu.edu

On Thu, 7 Oct 1999, laura hudson wrote:
)
> Hi,
> 
> We at Ohio University have just redesigned our Web site:  
> http://www.library.ohiou.edu/ .  We're considering making the five
> main elements on the page have javascript mouseovers--so tha when
> people put their curser over one of the elements, they'll get some
> information about what's in it.  I'm interested in getting URL's for
> libraries that do this.
> 
> Anybody?
> 
> Reply privately and I'll be glad to summarize if anyone is interested.  Thanks in advance.  
> 
> Laura Hudson									
> Reference Librarian | Web Manager	| Communication Bibliographer
> Alden Library Reference Department 
> Ohio University Libraries
> email:  hudsonl at ohiou.edu | phone:  740-593-9683 | fax:  740-593-0138
>