Windows Mobile Team Explains Why ‘Emperor Has No Close’


Via: Modaco

"There’s a reasonably sized (but still tiny minority) group of users who feel that they can do better than the memory manager and want an easier way to take control.  Because there are so many apps that let you close things, some of which are very well integrated, I’m reasonably comfortable saying, “Use one of those apps.” ."

Well, it’s not the whole Windows Mobile Team explaining this – but Mike Calligaro at The Windows Mobile Team Blog has a nice article up on why the ‘X’ icon does not close applications in Windows Mobile.

He covers the original and current reasoning behind not providing a true close option – which mainly comes down to not wanting or expecting typical users to manage memory on their device.

Mike provides very good background on this subject through the generations of Windows Mobile, and is very funny when anticipating how readers are going to slate him for his views. It’s nice that he admits that choosing to include the visually misleading X button (and realizing that most users will assume this means Close) may be considered "unforgivably stupid" depending on your viewpoint.

Overall, another very good post at the WM Team Blog. Check it out at:

The Emperor Has No Close

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Merlin
Oct 7, 2006

Thank goodness for task managers.


PatrickJ
Oct 8, 2006

Yup, they’re essential. I just don’t have a problem with the OS’ default action being minimize rather than close an app – as long as we have ways to close an app / close all when we want to.

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