Name: ssT124754			Date: 01/31/2001


Java(TM) Web Start (build rc-b14)

The Java Web Start application manager violates the Java Look and Feel
Guidelines as well as generally accepted design practices in several areas:

The "Create Icons" dialog has two buttons, "No" and "Create", which appear in
the wrong order and are different sizes.  At the very least, it should be
"Create" and "No" with the buttons the same size, and I would argue that "OK"
and "Cancel" are far preferable.

The "Preferences" dialog displays "Cancel" "Reset" "OK", which again are
backwards (correct order is "OK" "Reset" "Cancel") and should all be the same
size.

The "Root Certificates" tab under "Preferences" displays a nested tabbed pane,
which is a major no-no.  The combobox visible on the first tab also mysteriously
controls the display of the second tab, even though it disappears when the
second tab is switched to.

The "Clear Cache" dialog displays buttons "Yes" and "No", which are at least in
the right order, but the more common "OK" and "Cancel" buttons would seem a
better choice.

The cursor does not change to a hand when rolling over URLs (this would be more
intuitive than the obnoxious color change).

The tooltips (and possibly other text) refer to applications as "Apps".  Most
users have no idea what an "App" is, and it is very important to consistently
use the same terminology.  Applications should never be referred to as anything
but applications.

Not one menu item has an accelerator keystroke.  Most, if not all, menu items
should.

The menu item mnemonic choices do not follow recommended practice.  For
instance, the first letter of the menu item should be used.  I agree that
File/Off Line should not use "O", to avoid conflicting with the common "Open" in
people's minds, but menu items such as Application/Create Shortcuts have no such
excuse.

The menu item File/Off Line uses two words for "Off Line", but the tooltips for
the online/offline icon in the bottom left refer to "Online" and "Offline".  The
tooltip is correct - "Offline" is one word.  While we're on the subject of this
tooltip, it isn't accurate - my "System" is not offline, only this particular
program is.  My system is still happily hooked up to the network.

  Tooltips should use sentence, not headline capitalization.  Only the first word
of each sentence should be capitalized.

In addition to this, the application manager should use its icon for all windows
it displays, rather than just the default steaming coffee cup icon.

I'm sorry to be so nitpicky, but I simply should not be able to find this many
usability issues in a five-minute examination.  Java Web Start will hopefully be
used by a great many people, and it needs to present a good face to the world.
(Review ID: 113150) 
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