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The StackExchange drop down and all-new user-status-activity-whatever drop down have different appearances, and even work a little differently. I suggest they be beat into conformance with each other.

Chapter 1: Arrows

See below. The drop down arrows differ. StackExchange's investors will be shocked to learn that StackExchange is wasting money on superfluous arrow designs.

What a waste

Chapter 2: Drop Down Style

See below. The styles of these two boxes are unnecessarily different.

Note the following, specifically:

  1. Different header style
  2. Different footer style
  3. Different shadows
  4. Different uses of color

Further note, from the screen shot below, that displaying both drop downs at once does not function well. It would be better if they were either compatible, or if opening one closed the other.

Almost like they were written by two different programmers working in different cities and hired at different times

Chapter 3: Different Functionality

The functionality of these boxes differs in the following unnecessary, and somewhat distracting manners:

  1. The StackExchange drop down requires a click, while the user dropdown does not.
  2. The StackExchange drop down remains pinned, while the user dropdown closes after losing focus.

Chapter 4: Conclusion

These things keep me up at night, and are the reason I start randomly crying at inappropriate times.

Oh, and "Eeeek!"

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  • 5
    There are four es!
    – Grace Note StaffMod
    Mar 18, 2011 at 13:55
  • @grace - eak! I can't believe I only used three. Perhaps I'm a model of efficiency.
    – user27414
    Mar 18, 2011 at 13:56
  • It's not really an "Eeeek!" post, so you're forgiven. An Eeeek post would be "Eeeek! Why did you change the dropdown functionality?" after your proposed change.
    – balpha StaffMod
    Mar 18, 2011 at 13:59
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    I think the name for the one on the right is "micro dashboard" and the one on the left is "multicollider" or "supercollider" or "supermulticollider" or "multisupercollider". I'm not entirely sure.
    – jcolebrand
    Mar 18, 2011 at 16:00

1 Answer 1

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I fully agree with your analysis, and regret I didn't see your post when I did mine, which was closed. My recommendation is to implement a 'click' only interface as clicks are conscious actions and hovers can be involuntarily.

Shouldn't this question be tagged as a feature request?

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