On-map balloons and popups

While we're on the subject of pop-up, the most irritating and obnoxious feature of BC is that when one is in digitizing mode (little ruler icon), the pop-ups cover the route one is digitizing to the extent of blocking out the route so you can't see where to pick your next point!!! I have metioned this on previous occasions in the past, but the developers apparently don't see it as a problem.

As you move along a route, picking points such as curves, intersections and other changes in direction, the incessant pop-ups create a big red area with text boxes including information such as direction, bearing, area, distance, etc. that usually is not important to the task at hand. The text boxes obliterate the course and the colored overlays do the same. You can't see through the trash to find your next digitizing point. Is there any way to rid BC of this very annoying feature, such as an option? Maybe some of the newer developers with Garmin will take note of this problem, as the older ones have disregarded it.

I've been simulating this a bit and my first idea that ten seconds would be OK is way wrong. Five seconds is even a bit long...I settled on 4 seconds.:) My 2 cents.

This assumes that the easiest and quickest way to change the code is to change the delay to a fixed number.

I absolutely agree with Ozarkie! Fortunately I don't use that feature often because it is MUCH more annoying than the balloons!

Attaboy, Maiskolben! Keep that fire lit....SQUEEK, SQUEEK, SQUEEK.....C'mon guys, can't you hear that wheel? :p

If the hover delay is extended some might find it rather confusing when moving the mouse pointer and finding that the hint on the screen actually belongs to a mouse position of a few seconds ago. Personally, I don't mind at all the hints/popups that appear when hovering; one just moves the pointer a short distance away and they are gone, just like hints do with almost all software: if I want to know what something is or represents I move the mouse pointer over it and the hint tells me. This is pretty standard for hints everywhere. What other software has, and BC doesn't, is an option not to show hints. If this was implemented I would be happy, but as I said, to me is no big deal.

The popups that bug me, however, are the persistent ones, the ones that force you to manually close them, otherwise they stay on screen cluttering the view. Those I'd definitely like to have an option to activate/desactivate, perhaps as a checkbox somewhere in Options.

Except when you move the cursor, the first popup is replaced by a new one for that particular area, especially when a Birdseye image is present and it kindly informs you of that fact (which you can see).

...what will you do with all this feedback?

I collect it! :)

Really, we do hear everything you folks report, and part of my job is to help prioritize and design features and improvements based on the way people are using our software. One of the goals for our next Basecamp release is to address some usability concerns and annoyances, but also get it released in a timely fashion. That's always going to be a balancing act. A "complete redesign" probably isn't right around the corner, but I think we can at least make your Basecamp life a little less painful very soon.

THATS a word. So, we're gonna just waiting till the next release!
But its not about the next release, only. Thinking about user expierience is to think about a general redesign of the onmap information behavior of basecamp. A simple delay, a simple turnoff function is not enough. When you set off all info, someone would might think it would better to have it, but anotherone thinks the more less, the more better and is completely liberal about it.. And its ok, cause: just give the users the OPINION! The user is king, and the king wants to decide. :) It hink you guys (and girls) are really open minded and do everytime a real balancing act, like you said, when developing software for people. So good to see, you are back to the most important thing when developing software: back to the user opinion, and feedback, even in a (just on the first look I would say) secondary issue.. I mean its maybe more important, when the communication of the NUVI29xy129 with bc is not working as well! :P

Hopefully we se a complete redesign of the onmap-information behavior of BC anytime in the next releases, and a turn-off/delay function in the very next!

Looking for changes,
Maiskolben

PS: alright, I just realized I repeat myself! So here we are now (in containers)! :)

Like what Maiskolben said, if the popup appeared instead as a toolbar-selectable box that could be placed/located by the user where they want it in the upper menu bar, like all other toolbar items, then no delay would be needed, but it could be located off the map, or not at all if the user desired. In other words, make it similar to the "map products" toolbar box. Even if the user decided to select and show it for occasional use, the info need not be looked at unless needed, and would not be in the way of anything.

Another comment regarding the popup balloons...with properties window open for a waypoint, when you edit or otherwise enter a lat/lon coordinate and the format is not correct, a balloon appears notifying you of same. Problem is, the balloon partially covers the entry you need to correct!
John

We have a plan now to release a configurable option to turn off the Balloons in our next version. I am not sure of that versions release date, but I want to thank everyone for their continued patience. I will keep everyone posted and as always we do publish our release notes.