Re: "breadcrumbs"

["Paul Strasser" <paul -dot- strasser -at- windsor-tech -dot- com>]

Thanks to all who suggested breadcrumbs.

However, when I look at some web pages that describe this term, such as
http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/archives/0306/techwhirl-0306-00498.html
or
http://www.welie.com/patterns/crumbs.html

They're really not describing what I'm referring to.  They're talking about
the hierarchical location within the website itself, from the top level to
the current location.  I'm talking about the current location in a linear
business process, such as buying airline tickets.  The breadcrumbs concept
displays Parent connections, but can't display Child connections - mainly
because there can be multiple paths at lower levels in a hierarchy.  It's
not for business processes but is a map of how you got to your current
location in the website.

Will "breadcrumbs" work for my application?  I don't know - it is a strictly
linear business process and really isn't part of the website hierarchy.
Using the airline ticket analogy:  Go from Step A (pick departure and
arrival cities) to Step B (pick dates to fly) ... ...to Step H (receive
tickets).  You are now at Step C.

There are some other suggested titles, such as "Where Am I" and "Navigation
Trail" that might work better.  Breadcrumbs really doesn't make a lot of
sense, because you're dropping breadcrumbs to the ground as you walk into
the deep, dark woods.  In my application, you also see the breadcrumbs ahead
of you.  (and who put them there?  Don't go into that Gingerbread house,
that's for sure.)

Thanks for the input.

Paul Strasser
Windsor Technologies, Inc.
2569 Park Lane, Suite 200
Lafayette, Colorado 80026
Phone:  303-926-1982
FAX:  303-926-1510
E-mail:  paul -dot- strasser -at- windsor-tech -dot- com