Why the Gov.uk Design System team changed the input type for numbers • Hacker News Board

Re: Why the Gov.uk Design System team changed the input type for numbers

#11

Post by SifJar » Thu, Feb 27, 2020, 5:23 PM UTC

shakna wrote: post #5

> However the inputmode attribute is now supported by all the mobile browsers we test in. This isn't extensive, which might be a tad misleading if you don't double check. They test on Chrome & Samsung for Android, and iOS is only the one engine. And those three browsers seem to be the only mobile browsers that have implemented it. (Well, Opera Mobile as well). [0] Desktop support is also extremely spotty. This seems…

> Desktop support is also extremely spotty.

Arguably it's less important there if one of the main motivations is that on mobile browsers will display a numeric keypad instead of full keyboard (which is my impression from skimming the article)

Re: Why the Gov.uk Design System team changed the input type for numbers

#12

Post by aglionby » Thu, Feb 27, 2020, 5:25 PM UTC

The Government Digital Service does all kinds of cool work around accessibility for both users using assistive technology and users who are less technically able. Interesting talk here from 2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUkMCQR4TpY

Re: Why the Gov.uk Design System team changed the input type for numbers

#13

Post by signalsmith » Thu, Feb 27, 2020, 5:25 PM UTC

This is off-topic, but I really like the current GOV.UK (several years old now). I don't really have opinions on the visual stuff, but I find it really pleasant to use.

Filing my self-assessment tax return (only required because I run a side-business) is a fantastically straightforward experience. Step-by-step information entry, pre-filled with what they already know (e.g. main employer's salary), then they give you a number at the end which you pay by card.

Having done the paper version exactly once before moving over to doing them online, I feel grateful every time I see that distinctive custom font.

Re: Why the Gov.uk Design System team changed the input type for numbers

#14

Post by opless » Thu, Feb 27, 2020, 5:26 PM UTC

shakna wrote: post #5

> However the inputmode attribute is now supported by all the mobile browsers we test in. This isn't extensive, which might be a tad misleading if you don't double check. They test on Chrome & Samsung for Android, and iOS is only the one engine. And those three browsers seem to be the only mobile browsers that have implemented it. (Well, Opera Mobile as well). [0] Desktop support is also extremely spotty. This seems…

As long as they validate their inputs!

Re: Why the Gov.uk Design System team changed the input type for numbers

#15

Post by vidarh » Thu, Feb 27, 2020, 5:34 PM UTC

joelanman wrote: post #7

shakna wrote: post #5

> However the inputmode attribute is now supported by all the mobile browsers we test in. This isn't extensive, which might be a tad misleading if you don't double check. They test on Chrome & Samsung for Android, and iOS is only the one engine. And those three browsers seem to be the only mobile browsers that have implemented it. (Well, Opera Mobile as well). [0] Desktop support is also extremely spotty. This seems…

The article covers quite a few issues with type=number, including some pretty bad accessibility ones. On balance I think even if inputmode doesn't have 100% support, those users will simply get a normal keyboard, which isn't so bad. Disclaimer - I work on the team.

Yeah, for my current work app we've just unceremoniously dropped type=number for most things, without inputmode or anything, and the experience is overall so much better even then.

Re: Why the Gov.uk Design System team changed the input type for numbers

#16

Post by klingonopera » Thu, Feb 27, 2020, 5:46 PM UTC

I'm no web-dev, but shouldn't these things be sanitized server-side? In which case, except for the mobile keypad issue, all these problems would solve themselves?

And shouldn't they be doing this anyway?

Re: Why the Gov.uk Design System team changed the input type for numbers

#17

Post by jkrems » Thu, Feb 27, 2020, 5:50 PM UTC

klingonopera wrote: post #16

I'm no web-dev, but shouldn't these things be sanitized server-side? In which case, except for the mobile keypad issue, all these problems would solve themselves? And shouldn't they be doing this anyway?

What makes you think they don't? But they still want good UX for entering the data.

Re: Why the Gov.uk Design System team changed the input type for numbers

#18

Post by onion2k » Thu, Feb 27, 2020, 5:52 PM UTC

klingonopera wrote: post #16

I'm no web-dev, but shouldn't these things be sanitized server-side? In which case, except for the mobile keypad issue, all these problems would solve themselves? And shouldn't they be doing this anyway?

The point is that giving the user a number input is a bad user experience. For example, users don't need or want up and down spin buttons to enter a phone number. That's long before it gets to a server.

Re: Why the Gov.uk Design System team changed the input type for numbers

#19

Post by nimish » Thu, Feb 27, 2020, 5:52 PM UTC

Javascript not having proper integers strikes again! Kind of surprised they hadn't run into more issues parsing string-ids-with-numerals into numbers.

Re: Why the Gov.uk Design System team changed the input type for numbers

#20

Post by simion314 » Thu, Feb 27, 2020, 5:53 PM UTC

klingonopera wrote: post #16

I'm no web-dev, but shouldn't these things be sanitized server-side? In which case, except for the mobile keypad issue, all these problems would solve themselves? And shouldn't they be doing this anyway?

You always should validate server side but this is to make it easy to use and accessible for users, PayPal has a custom input type that looks fancy but for example the Delete key is not working for it(no idea if is accessible or if you can type in it via speech)