Seems more like the writer’s problem: everyone else selects text to perform a function.
They could point with the mouse or use the bottom of the window as a guide & tap the ↓ key.
As relatable problems go, not being able to select text solely for its own sake doesn’t feel that great of one.
Doing it just feels so extra: like, why do that & just waste it?
Are we hyperactive?
Should we work on impulse control?
Selecting highlights to show the scope of an operation.
As a nuisance, offering extra, context-relevant functionality doesn’t seem that great of one, either: I can just ignore that & ctrl-c.
And I don’t see a great alternative to a popover offering that functionality.
It probably saves a few clicks when done right.
Removing standard functionality, however, is extremely relatable.
I’ll go into Dev Tools to remove anything disabling copy & paste, because fuck that & burn the control freak who signed off on that.
No we don’t. Everyone else selects text to select text (with left click), that’s how you copy the text, but just as importantly: that’s how you select text.
Selecting text, a core functionality of a computer, is pointless?
Highlighting text isn’t pointless, even if you don’t personally do it.
Some of us struggle with long lines of text (people with varying degrees of dyslexia)
It literally doesn’t inconvenience anyone. And is the standard behaviour on most websites that you can select text. Who here is out there complaining about selectable text? It’s usually the opposite (because then you can’t copy)
I’m not sure you meant to come across a bit shitty, but if you meant to, I’ll invite you to think about exercising empathy for your fellow humans before you speak.
Just because you don’t use it, doesn’t mean it’s pointless.
And saying it is, after having it explained why it’s useful to others, is not very pleasant.
Selecting text, a core functionality of a computer, is pointless?
Can you identify any OS GUI in history that offered text selection without operations to perform on the selection?
That was always the core function: select the input of an operation.
Some of us struggle with long lines of text (people with varying degrees of dyslexia)
There are solutions for that: accessibility standards.
It’s been well researched and is basic to good UI design.
All the problems you point out leading you to do something extra just to read indicate problems addressed by fixing broken accessibility.
It’d be better to fix those basic UI problems instead of defend doing extra things we shouldn’t have to do that they weren’t really designed to do.
Yes, practically all the desktop ones. You can just select text with it just selecting the text. On most websites. I’m pretty sure OP is referring to websites that “helpfully” put UI elements in the way after highlighting.
Most text editors do this well, they put the UI elements above the text, not in the way.
The vast, vast, majority of websites still do nothing when you select text.
We’re not talking about phones, you typically read that in portrait so the lines are short.
Perhaps I have made an assumption that not everyone was on the same page about.
Selecting text on android also works great with the UI that pops up there. I’m pretty sure we’re only talking about annoying websites, on desktop.
Can you identify any OS GUI in history that offered text selection without operations to perform on the selection? without operations without
I doubt any early OS designer went “Pure selection is useful on its own. Let’s ship that without the ability to do anything to it.” then at a later iteration someone went “I have a clever idea: let’s add the ability to operate (eg, cut, copy, overwrite) on that selection!”.
Even the name is suggestive: select.
Select for what?
Input for something.
It still seems like a criticism that picks over the wrong thing while disregarding a host of deeper problems (eg, noncompliance with accessibility standards) that led them there.
Reading is basic: the text size, spacing, line length, contrast should be accessible without extra steps.
Font ought to be adjustable from their user agent, so dyslexic users can set a dyslexic font.
Selection popovers shouldn’t obscure the selection.
Etc.
Seems more like the writer’s problem: everyone else selects text to perform a function. They could point with the mouse or use the bottom of the window as a guide & tap the ↓ key.
I firmly want the computer to do what I tell it to do. Not assume what I want.
The standard was if you wanted to do something with the text, you’d right click. Don’t arbitrarily change the UX in a non-standard way.
Right-click? We civilized people ctrl-c. 😁
As relatable problems go, not being able to select text solely for its own sake doesn’t feel that great of one. Doing it just feels so extra: like, why do that & just waste it? Are we hyperactive? Should we work on impulse control? Selecting highlights to show the scope of an operation.
As a nuisance, offering extra, context-relevant functionality doesn’t seem that great of one, either: I can just ignore that & ctrl-c. And I don’t see a great alternative to a popover offering that functionality. It probably saves a few clicks when done right.
Removing standard functionality, however, is extremely relatable. I’ll go into Dev Tools to remove anything disabling copy & paste, because fuck that & burn the control freak who signed off on that.
[citation needed]
No we don’t. Everyone else selects text to select text (with left click), that’s how you copy the text, but just as importantly: that’s how you select text.
Seems kinda pointless. Maybe we need a dedicated OS for people to just fidget around for no reason: a cat jungle gym for humans.
Selecting text, a core functionality of a computer, is pointless?
Highlighting text isn’t pointless, even if you don’t personally do it.
Some of us struggle with long lines of text (people with varying degrees of dyslexia)
It literally doesn’t inconvenience anyone. And is the standard behaviour on most websites that you can select text. Who here is out there complaining about selectable text? It’s usually the opposite (because then you can’t copy)
I’m not sure you meant to come across a bit shitty, but if you meant to, I’ll invite you to think about exercising empathy for your fellow humans before you speak.
Just because you don’t use it, doesn’t mean it’s pointless.
And saying it is, after having it explained why it’s useful to others, is not very pleasant.
Can you identify any OS GUI in history that offered text selection without operations to perform on the selection? That was always the core function: select the input of an operation.
There are solutions for that: accessibility standards. It’s been well researched and is basic to good UI design.
All the problems you point out leading you to do something extra just to read indicate problems addressed by fixing broken accessibility. It’d be better to fix those basic UI problems instead of defend doing extra things we shouldn’t have to do that they weren’t really designed to do.
Yes, practically all the desktop ones. You can just select text with it just selecting the text. On most websites. I’m pretty sure OP is referring to websites that “helpfully” put UI elements in the way after highlighting.
Most text editors do this well, they put the UI elements above the text, not in the way.
The vast, vast, majority of websites still do nothing when you select text.
We’re not talking about phones, you typically read that in portrait so the lines are short.
Perhaps I have made an assumption that not everyone was on the same page about.
Selecting text on android also works great with the UI that pops up there. I’m pretty sure we’re only talking about annoying websites, on desktop.
Seems the question was misread.
I doubt any early OS designer went “Pure selection is useful on its own. Let’s ship that without the ability to do anything to it.” then at a later iteration someone went “I have a clever idea: let’s add the ability to operate (eg, cut, copy, overwrite) on that selection!”. Even the name is suggestive: select. Select for what? Input for something.
It still seems like a criticism that picks over the wrong thing while disregarding a host of deeper problems (eg, noncompliance with accessibility standards) that led them there. Reading is basic: the text size, spacing, line length, contrast should be accessible without extra steps. Font ought to be adjustable from their user agent, so dyslexic users can set a dyslexic font. Selection popovers shouldn’t obscure the selection. Etc.