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Last active October 24, 2023 02:38
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OK/Cancel v.s. Cancel/OK - A Plasma 6 proposal

UX comparison

Status quo Proposal
1a 1b
Dialogs end with the Cancel button, so after you scan the dialog, you'll need to move your eyes back to the OK button to click it. Your eyes end on the OK button, so you can immediately click it.
2a
3a
4a
2b
3b
4b
OK button position is inconsistent between dialogs. It can lead to confusion and misclicks. OK buttons are always on the end.
5a 5b
In complex dialogs, finding OK button may take a bit longer. If you are aware that OK buttons are always on the end, you can immediately find it.
6a 6b
It lacks consistency with wizard dialogs (e.g. most OS installers, Plasma Welcome app). Cancel buttons imply going back. OK buttons imply going forward. This button placement is consistent with pagination buttons in wizard dialogs.

Which is more popular?

According to this, I think we can safely say that the Cancel/OK button placement is more popular in the design world. Most big players are in favor of it, notably:

Facebook website has also adopted it (screenshot), but I couldn't find their design doc regarding it.

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