> I really don't see the point in having an icon AND text.

They each serve a slightly different function. A Text only button has a problem that it is short. It is easier to hit a target with the mouse if it is square. When one dimension becomes smaller (in the case of text, the height) it increases the difficulty of acquiring it.

Text also requires a bit more effort to read, text by its nature is similar to other text, and when you have a bunch of text together individual words do not stand out as much as icons do.

So being square and having greater differentiation are pros for the icons.

But just differentiating is not quite enough, you not only want to be able to differentiate between buttons, you also want to know what each individual button does as well - text is best for this particular area.

So the combination of both delivers particular things that each one on its own does not.


> The attached image shows one possible way the MoI icons could be modified.
> It maximizes the most useful area of the viewport, which is the center.

It's an interesting idea, but it creates a new problem where the view controls are not clustered together anymore.

If you are having problems running into the view controls while you are modeling, you might want to switch to the single-view mode instead of working in the split view too much.


> I've also included a screencap of a Lightwave 3D viewport. It uses tiny icons
> tucked into a title bar that GETS THEM OUT OF THE WAY OF THE USER.

Personally I find that's exactly the problem - they are so far out of the way and so tiny it is difficult to hit them. I have to really concentrate when I want to use those types of controls, it becomes a disruption in workflow. Being tiny and close together, you have to concentrate more just to pick out the one you want, and then you have to move with great precision to hit it. Also, having them on the top like that means that your hand may be covering up part of the view you are manipulating if you are using something like a TabletPC.

MoI is designed to solve some of these common problems.


If the icons seem too large for you, you can shrink them to your taste using Options / UI size, that will allow you to shrink or enlarge the entire UI including those view control buttons.


> With MoI 3D, it appears that you may still be looking at a fairly substantial
> development period before it's ready to ship.

Well, I'm certainly hoping that it will not be too substantial, I'm targeting something like 4 or 5 months down the road from now.

- Michael