I would disagree that tabs must have rounded corners to be recognizable as 'tabs'. Not only are there numerous other methods for creating a tab metaphor (notched corners, color labels along the top or side borders, etc.) but many sites use rectangular borders with effective results. It's harder perhaps but not too difficult. And while the different browsers' implementations of CSS3 rounded corners is imperfect, it WILL make the process easier once fully implemented.
I do want to complement DigiKev for including the part about making sure these tab structures degrade gracefully (or are progressively enhanced). Making sure this solution doesn't fall into chaos if javascript is disabled is a key aspect. Marty DeAngelo Director, UX Digitas Health On Tuesday, June 9, 2009, DigiKev <[email protected]> wrote: > I also write the HTML and CSS for tabs when they are decided upon in > an interface. Tabs, in order to look visually like tabs, need to be > rounded at the top corners. The tab label needs to be able to expand > depending on the font size selected by the end user. This would all > be fine if browsers were able to round off corners. Mozilla and > Webkit browsers use proprietory code to replicate what CSS3 will > allow in interface designs. Internet Explorer unfortunately does > not. As a result hacks have to be implemented to add images in the > right places to provide rounded corners on each tab. Maybe you would > like the button to be more responsive so a different colour is used > for the mouse hover state - that is more images. Perhaps a selected > state too? More images. This kind of development is costly. > > > . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . > Posted from the new ixda.org > http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=42699 > > > ________________________________________________________________ > 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 > ________________________________________________________________ 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
