Alok I would say it depends on the application, in a word processor like MS Word for example the keyboard keys are used for typing hence it would definitely confuse a user to have the same key do two different things, although the same could apply to the very window in gmail where I am typing this as well, so not all web apps use single letter shortcuts I have to use CTRL + B if I want to type *this *word in bold.
On the other hand if you take an application like photoshop to select or change various parameters you have plenty of single letter keys being used, off the top of my head "M" is used to select the marquee tool and repeated pressing cycles between the available options, but the same key used on a Text layer would result just in the typing of the letter M on the canvas. Would love to see what others have to add Apar On Mon, May 19, 2008 at 6:37 AM, Alok Jain <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi All, > > The keyboard shortcuts ion desktop environment have generally been defined > with the use of a supporting key - Control , Alt, Shift (or command in case > of OSX). On other hand newer web apps like gmail use just alphabet key - > http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=6594 > > I think it is easier to just a single alphabet key and not be confused if > something was Cntrl + C or Alt + C etc.. But I also wonder if using a > single alphabet as shortcut break user's mental model in any way.. > > Any thoughts, opinions, research on which approach is better? > > Regards > Alok Jain > ________________________________________________________________ > Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! > To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe > List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines > List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help > -- The goal of the action is the action itself! ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
