Put UI controls in mixed case, instead of ALL CAPS EVERYWHERE.

[Snark]

RIGHT NOW, MANY UI CONTROLS, INCLUDING ALL TOOLTIPS, ARE IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, LIKE THIS:

MY SUGGESTION IS TO PUT THESE THINGS IN MIXED CASE, SUCH AS "Symmetry Mode" IN THIS EXAMPLE, AND RESERVE ALL-CAPITALS ONLY FOR THINGS THAT ACTUALLY NEED IT, SUCH AS SECTION HEADERS OR ACRONYMS.

RATIONALE WHY I THINK THE CURRENT "ALL CAPS" APPROACH IS NOT OPTIMAL:

• UNPLEASANT.  IT FEELS LIKE THE GAME IS YELLING AT ME.  FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S KIND OF UNPLEASANT TO BE READING THIS TEXT NOW.
• LESS READABLE.  Mixed case contains a mixture of tall and short characters, which gives the eye plenty of visual reference points.  ALL CAPS IS A UNIFORM HEIGHT AND IS HARDER TO TAKE IN AT A GLANCE.
• OBSCURES MEANING.  THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT LEGITIMATELY SHOULD BE IN ALL CAPS, SUCH AS ACRONYMS LIKE SAS AND RCS.  IN A MIXED CASE UI, THOSE APPROPRIATELY STAND OUT AND ARE EASY TO TAKE IN AT A GLANCE.  BUT WHEN THEY'RE ACCOMPANIED BY ALL-CAPS TEXT THAT DOESN'T NEED TO BE, THEY BECOME DIFFICULT TO DECIPHER.  CONVERSELY, WHEN I SEE SOMETHING LIKE "APP.BAR" IN ALL CAPS, MY BRAIN INSISTS ON TRYING TO MAKE ACRONYMS OUT OF IT AND CAUSES COGNITIVE DISSONANCE ALL THE TIME.  WHEREAS IF IT SAID "App Bar", THAT WOULDN'T COME UP.

If for some reason there's a legitimate desire by folks to have all caps in the UI... it would be nice to at least have this as a UI settings option somewhere, so that those of us that it causes real problems for would have some recourse.

[The Aziz]

37 minutes ago, Snark said:

LESS READABLE.  Mixed case contains a mixture of tall and short characters, which gives the eye plenty of visual reference points.  ALL CAPS IS A UNIFORM HEIGHT AND IS HARDER TO TAKE IN AT A GLANCE.

TELL THAT TO THE AMERICANS WHO HAVE ALL TRAFFIC SIGNS IN CAPITAL LETTERS

[FleshJeb]

And people told me complaining about surprise Nyan Cats was petty...

[The Aziz]

Nyan cats were from a mod you know.