I've worked on several browser based enterprise applications, and I have seen reluctance from users in trying interaction they see as not being something done in a browser (i.e. on a website). This includes right-click as well as interactions like drag & drop and window selection. Even when instructions were added to screens informing uses of what could be done many would not try things they believed didn't work "on the web."
When we took actions to disguise that fact that the application was browser based - by removing the standard browser chrome (menus, address bar, status bar, etc.) - users were more inclined to try actions that are common rich client applications. In short user expectation of browser capabilities strongly influenced willingness to explore. However, the last I was involved in that was two years ago. There will always be a lag between the public's perception of browser capabilities and the state of the current technology. But with the recent advanced in web based applications like those from Google I predict people will be expecting - even demanding more and more rich client type behaviors in browser based applications. The line between browser based and rich client applications is getting blurrier all the time. Soon it will be gone all together, at least from the end users point of view. Long story short - right click menus are commonly used in many complex applications and can be very effective. If there is good cause to utilize them in an application then proceed, regardless of the underlying technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=38441 ________________________________________________________________ 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
