[BNM] 99% of progress bars are useless

[delarge]

I spend a lot of time gazing at progress bars... and it struck me the other
day...

The point of a progress bar is to show distance and time, right? How long it
is taking to get from point A (nothing loaded) to B (fully loaded).

So, the moment a progress bar stops or pauses or does something resembling
this:
http://www.napyfab.com/ajax-indicators/images/progressbar_green.gif
...it becomes an loading indicator, not a progress bar

For example if I'm installing a new app and the installation stops on 62%
for a while - the concept of going from point A to B is rendered useless...
unless it tells me how long it will take to install that part then I am left
guessing... the fact an install has paused on 62% is really irrelevent - I
want to know how far off 100% it is. It could sit on 62% for the next 5
mins.

Therefore I decree - 99% of progress bars are useless...

OR

99% of progress bars are not progress bars.

(99% because a small swf file down a fast connection can 'progress bar'
well)

-- 
Paul Burgess

http://delarge.co.uk
http://streetstickers.co.uk
http://iampaulburgess.co.uk