John Milton's New Writeupshttp://everything2.com/?node=New%20Writeups%20Atom%20Feed&foruser=John Milton2001-07-20T07:35:13ZFitts' Law (idea)http://m.everything2.com/user/John+Milton/writeups/Fitts%2527+LawJohn Miltonhttp://m.everything2.com/user/John+Milton2001-07-20T07:35:13Z2001-07-20T07:35:13Z<p>Fitts's Law (pronounced "fitzez law") simply <a href="/title/state">state</a>s <i>the <a href="/title/time">time</a> to <a href="/title/acquire">acquire</a> a <a href="/title/target">target</a> is a <a href="/title/function">function</a> of the <a href="/title/distance">distance</a> to and <a href="/title/size">size</a> of the <a href="/title/target">target</a></i>.</p>
<p>Fitts's Law applies mainly to <a href="/title/user+interface">user interface</a> design. The <a href="/title/simplest">simplest</a> <a href="/title/button">button</a> to click is the <a href="/title/closest">closest</a> and <a href="/title/largest">largest</a> one. As an <a href="/title/example">example</a> of the <a href="/title/first+principle">first principle</a>, <a href="/title/right+click">right click</a> <a href="/title/menus">menus</a> are very <a href="/title/efficient">efficient</a>, because the <a href="/title/distance">distance</a> between the target and the <a href="/title/cursor">cursor</a> is <a href="/title/zero">zero</a>.</p>
<p>The <a href="/title/latter">latter</a> <a href="/title/principle">principle</a> is <a href="/title/demonstrate">demonstrate</a>d by windowed <a href="/title/application">application</a>s. A windowed application has a <a href="/title/buffer">buffer</a> <a href="/title/zone">zone</a> between the <a href="/title/left">left</a> toolbar and the <a href="/title/edge">edge</a> of the screen. This buffer is the window's <a href="/title/trim">trim</a>. When the <a href="/title/user">user</a> moves their mouse to click a tool, they are <a href="/title/force">force</a>d to <a href="/title/slow">slow</a> down so they will not <a href="/title/overshoot">overshoot</a> their <a href="/title/target">target</a>. By making the application <a href="/title/full+screen">full screen</a>, the <a href="/title/tool">tool</a> buttons will <a href="/title/increase">increase</a> their <a href="/title/size">size</a> to include the edges of the screen. The <a href="/title/user">user</a> can then <a href="/title/shoot">shoot</a> their <a href="/title/mouse">mouse</a> to the <a href="/title/corner">corner</a>s and <a href="/title/click">click</a> <a href="/title/without+slowing+down">without slowing down</a>.<!-- close unclosed tag --></p>…closest stars (thing)http://m.everything2.com/user/John+Milton/writeups/closest+starsJohn Miltonhttp://m.everything2.com/user/John+Milton2001-07-19T22:19:51Z2001-07-19T22:19:51Z<pre><a href="/title/Star">Star</a> <a href="/title/Mass">Mass</a> Spec. <a href="/title/Type">Type</a> Dist.
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<a href="/title/Sol">Sol</a> 1.0 <a href="/title/G2">G2</a> <a href="/title/yellow-main">yellow-main</a> -
<a href="/title/Proxima+Centauri">Proxima Centauri</a> .1 <a href="/title/M5">M5</a> <a href="/title/red+dwarf">red dwarf</a> 4.3
<a href="/title/Rigil+Kent+A">Rigil Kent A</a> 1.1 <a href="/title/G2">G2</a> <a href="/title/yellow-main">yellow-main</a> 4.4
<a href="/title/Rigil+Kent+B">Rigil Kent B</a> .89 <a href="/title/K6">K6</a> <a href="/title/orange-main">orange-main</a> 4.4
<a href="/title/Barnard%2527s+Star">Barnard's Star</a> .15 <a href="/title/M5">M5</a> <a href="/title/red+dwarf">red dwarf</a> 5.9
<a href="/title/Wolf+359">Wolf 359</a> .2 <a href="/title/M8">M8</a> <a href="/title/red+dwarf">red dwarf</a> 7.6
<a href="/title/Lalande+21185">Lalande 21185</a> .35 <a href="/title/M2">M2</a> <a href="/title/red+dwarf">red dwarf</a> 8.1
<a href="/title/Sirius+A">Sirius A</a> 2.3 <a href="/title/A1">A1</a> <a href="/title/white-main">white-main</a> 6.4
<a href="/title/Sirius+B">Sirius B</a> .98 <a href="/title/DA">DA</a> <a href="/title/white+dwarf">white dwarf</a> 6.4
<a href="/title/Luyten+726-8">Luyten 726-8</a> .12 <a href="/title/M6">M6</a> <a href="/title/red+dwarf">red dwarf</a> 8.9
<a href="/title/UV+Ceti">UV Ceti</a> .1 <a href="/title/M6">M6</a> <a href="/title/red+dwarf">red dwarf</a> 8.9
<a href="/title/Ross+154">Ross 154</a> .31 <a href="/title/M5">M5</a> <a href="/title/red+dwarf">red dwarf</a> 9.5
<a href="/title/Ross+248">Ross 248</a> .25<!-- close unclosed tag --></pre>…