How to design a good about box?
I generally prefer to make tabbed "About" boxes. The first tab usually displays information about the application (name, version, copyright, etc.). The other tab is usually a log of changes with the most recent changes at the top.
Legal will want their copyright and stuff, marketing will want their branding (even though the user has already bought the product), the dev team will want their names up there in liquid crystal, but what do users need?
App name and version number. Users may need this to troubleshoot problems, perhaps while in contact with tech support or when using a knowledge base. Use a version number system such that this is all the user needs to specify their build. Version number is also needed for the users to know if they can upgrade.
A brief statement of what the app does (e.g., “Photograph and picture organizer.”). Users often end up with software for which they can’t guess the purpose. “About” is a logical place to tell the user what the app is about.
Put the above in conspicuous text at the top of About. Have a single OK button. Everything else that may be required by others in your company really isn’t of any interest to the user and can all be in “fine print.”
You could also include the web site or email for tech support if you can rely on that being stable for years, but usually users have this before going to the About box.
Easter eggs are fine if you think it’s appropriate to have a little fun in your app and your users lean towards the geeky side of things. Just make sure it isn’t something that will alarm a low-end user (or a future high-end developer; see: http://blogs.msdn.com/jensenh/archive/2005/10/20/483041.aspx).
Looking at a few examples of About boxes:
- Name of the software
- Name of the publisher/author
- Copyright and licensing information
- Version information
- A nice logo
These days, it probably wouldn't hurt to have a way to directly go to the website for the software in the About box itself.
Microsoft's Windows Vista User Experience Guidelines tend to have useful information on designing good user interfaces. I wasn't able to find information specific to About boxes, but the section for Dialog Boxes may be somewhat relevant.