
Apple’s new touch bar is a usability disaster - psteinweber
https://medium.com/@supertrampby/apples-new-touch-bar-is-a-usability-disaster-8ad17192a239
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weinzierl
Regarding Mission Control: Do you use it from the keyboard? Is this even
possible? If you use the touch pad you can summon Mission Control with a three
finger swipe up. I find this very convenient.

> 1\. It needlessly shifts the cognitive load from touch to sight

The Touch Bar is meant to be an input device and not a display, or in Apples
words: "Use the Touch Bar as an extension of the keyboard and trackpad, not as
a display." [1]

> 2\. Any function key available on the touch bar should already be visible
> on-screen.

Sure but that's not necessarily a bad thing. All letters and digits are
available from the screen (Character viewer) as well, it still makes sense to
have them on the keyboard.

> 3\. While it remains to be tested, the small touch area will likely not be
> accurate enough for most use-cases

Have you tried it? As it is controlled by an Apple Watch SoC it should have
similar characteristics.

> 4\. The touch bar is not placed thoughtfully, making its use an additional
> unwarranted effort (see point 2.)

The Touch Bar is an extension of the keyboard and there are not so many
possibilities to place it so it can be used easily with your fingers. Where
would you have placed it instead?

[1]
[https://developer.apple.com/library/content/documentation/Us...](https://developer.apple.com/library/content/documentation/UserExperience/Conceptual/OSXHIGuidelines/AbouttheTouchBar.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/20000957-CH104-SW1)

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lispm
Haha, he hasn't even seen or used one yet.

Low quality article.

