🔒 Locked

Apply

Started by GameCreator Jun 1, 2006 at 1:32 PM 23 replies 1.4k views

Original Post

Jun 1, 2006 at 1:32 PM

I'm sure this varies from program to program but I've always smiled internally whenever I've seen people make changes in a window and then click Apply, followed by clicking OK. Whenever I've clicked OK, it automatically applied my changes. It's almost like having a Don't Apply button next to Cancel and clicking it first. I do see the point of an Apply button: you can click it and still keep the window open, should you want to try the effects of multiple changes. But does anyone else religiously click Apply before clicking OK, even if it's pointless? Is it one of those "better safe than sorry" things? Maybe the OK button should have a different color when it automatically applies.

JBourrie

Jun 1, 2006 at 1:36 PM

I'm guilty.

Of course, every time I hit semicolon or period I instinctively hit Ctrl-S also. That way, when I'm coding or writing a word doc it's always saved. I know, it's weird, but it just makes me feel better. Like pie!

moussen15

Jun 1, 2006 at 1:51 PM

Quote:
I'm guilty.

Of course, every time I hit semicolon or period I instinctively hit Ctrl-S also. That way, when I'm coding or writing a word doc it's always saved. I know, it's weird, but it just makes me feel better. Like pie!

:) I "suffer" from the same habit. It has gone so far that when I write e-mails etc. I always feel a little awkward because I feel the need to save but I can't!

And about the apply-button... I suppose I do it too. Although not on purpose. I try multiple options and click "apply" for each. When I'm satisfied I simply click "OK".

CTar

Jun 1, 2006 at 1:52 PM

I remeberd once, were I never clicked the apply button just ok, but I have in the past experienced some programs which won't apply changes until you click apply (when you click ok options are just saved, so next time you open the window the aren't reset). Therefore I have now got into the habit of always clicking apply first.

Strider_Hiryu

Jun 1, 2006 at 2:05 PM

i do the same thing. Even though the settings are applied when you click OK... I can't help it! I'm gonna keep doin' it too!

cloudscapes

Jun 1, 2006 at 2:20 PM

Guilty as well. Partly because I might not trust the application to save my changes with just the OK. If/when the apply button greys-out when clicked, it's also a visual confirmation that it's gone as planned ,rather than just dissapearing. :)

Weird how the mind works!

Programmer One

Jun 1, 2006 at 2:30 PM

Quote:
Original post by cloudscapes
If/when the apply button greys-out when clicked, it's also a visual confirmation that it's gone as planned... :)

But you know what sucks? When it doesn't grey out. ugh...

JBourrie

Jun 1, 2006 at 3:20 PM

Quote:
Original post by cloudscapes
Partly because I might not trust the application to save my changes with just the OK.

I think this is part of it for me as well. I don't trust the designers of many applications (with good reason).

Another reason is because up until recently I used Win98 for everything, and it would crash at the most inopportune times, losing any work I havent saved.

Finally, I have done alot of my work on a laptop with a loose battery, causing me to lose work if it jiggles. This doesn't explain the Apply button, but it does explain the constant saving. :)

GameCreator

Jun 1, 2006 at 4:25 PM

Quote:
Original post by JBourrie
Of course, every time I hit semicolon or period I instinctively hit Ctrl-S also. That way, when I'm coding or writing a word doc it's always saved. I know, it's weird, but it just makes me feel better. Like pie!

I noticed I did that before I compiled, even though compiling automatically saved the file. I'm trying to break the habit...

Maega

Jun 1, 2006 at 4:41 PM

I figure the apply button is there for a reason...

Lode

Jun 1, 2006 at 4:43 PM

Windows made me guilty, now I still have the habbit in Linux.

I Like Bread

Jun 1, 2006 at 5:02 PM

I think about 20% of my productivity is wasted on double-checking things. I do the "apply" thing, yeah. Doing a "Save As" on top of a regular save is another one. But most often I find myself switching to the selection tool in Photoshop every time I finish drawing/typing/whatever. I may not need to select anything; I may even need to click on the other tool AGAIN to access the options bar. It's almost like I think it's the "safest" tool.

GameCreator

Jun 1, 2006 at 5:17 PM

Quote:
Original post by Maega
I figure the apply button is there for a reason...

See my thoughts on that above. If that's the reason, and it's unnecessary to click Apply if you're going to click OK anyway, do you think you would/could stop?

JBourrie

Jun 1, 2006 at 5:26 PM

Just to screw with people, they should just ban the use of OK buttons, and Apply acts as the new OK button. Still positioned in the bottom-right corner slightly offset from cancel :)

Cold_Steel

Jun 1, 2006 at 6:14 PM

I do too. I remember in certain programs in Win98, OK just closed the damn window. It wouldn't save anything unless you hit apply. Now I do it to make sure.

Phantom Sage

Jun 1, 2006 at 7:00 PM

Quote:
Original post by GameCreator
But does anyone else religiously click Apply before clicking OK, even if it's pointless? Is it one of those "better safe than sorry" things? Maybe the OK button should have a different color when it automatically applies.

I do. I also click the apply button no more and no less than 3 times, then I click the OK button no more and no less than 1 time (mostly because I have no choice). And when I enter a room, I have to do it no more and no less than 5 times, just to be sure.

This should considered a disorder of some... type... some... type... some type... [wow]

martiandragon

Jun 1, 2006 at 7:46 PM

I used to thing you had to hit both apply and ok to save the changes, so I always clicked both. I know better now, but I still tend to do it out of habit.

gavco98

Jun 2, 2006 at 6:39 AM

Quote:
Original post by Cold_Steel
I do too. I remember in certain programs in Win98, OK just closed the damn window. It wouldn't save anything unless you hit apply. Now I do it to make sure.

Yes, which is exactly why I do it too. Back in ye olde days, clicking OK did not apply the changes, you had to press Apply to save them. As a result I got in the habbit of always pressing apply first. Once you get into the habbit its hard to stop...

Riviera Kid

Jun 2, 2006 at 6:47 AM

sheesh...
i think a better question is "does anybody not do it?"

i do it when im at a slow computer because if you press OK instead of APPLY-OK then you sometimes get a little freeze and a sudden close. I dont like it when that happens, feels like an error.

Ravuya

Jun 2, 2006 at 11:49 AM

I just click it to make me feel better.

Topic Locked

This topic has been locked by a moderator. New replies are not allowed.