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Subject:	Re: dropdown selections: default values or no?
From:	Hassan Schroeder <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:	Hassan Schroeder <[log in to unmask]>
Date:	Sat, 2 Jun 2007 07:42:46 -0700
Content-Type:	text/plain
Parts/Attachments:	text/plain (52 lines)

Bryan Grubaugh wrote:

> never really liked playing by the rules.  Which I guess is the reason
> that I say it is 100% okay to have no default selected for radio
> buttons.  

OK, one more time for those who didn't follow this link:
  <http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/interact/forms.html#radio>

= quote =
 If no radio button in a set sharing the same control name is initially
 "on", user agent behavior for choosing which control is initially "on"
 is undefined. Note. Since existing implementations handle this case
 differently, the current specification differs from RFC 1866 ([RFC1866]
 section 8.1.2.4), which states:

    At all times, exactly one of the radio buttons in a set is checked.
    If none of the <INPUT> elements of a set of radio buttons specifies
    `CHECKED', then the user agent must check the first radio button of
    the set initially.

 Since user agent behavior differs, authors should ensure that in each
 set of radio buttons that one is initially "on".
= end quote =

So you *can not assume* in a browser-based setting that *no* button
will be checked simply because you set no default.

Even if you don't like the rules. :-)

> Having tested multiple consumer facing e-commerce related websites, I
> have a rule of thumb that I take into testing the first round.  "If it
> deals with money, defaults generally aren't good." 

How about "If it deals with money, relying on /undefined/ browser
behavior isn't ever good."  :-)

FWIW,
-- 
Hassan Schroeder ----------------------------- [log in to unmask]
Webtuitive Design ===  (+1) 408-938-0567   === http://webtuitive.com
                opinion: webtuitive.blogspot.com

                          dream.  code.

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