When is UI eye candy appropriate in a web app? [closed]

Question

To start with some context, I'm so annoyed whenever I get on a Windows computer that has the settings adjusted for "best appearance" over "best performance" that I instinctively turn off all fades, transitions, animations, etc. immediately. I almost can't focus until it's changed.

However, when it comes to my web apps, I will very occasionally throw in some "eye candy" - maybe a slight transition because the instant transition seems distracting or too abrupt.

I feel like a hypocrite though. I never opt for a slower UI on a desktop machine, and when I change desktop settings for family, friends, and clients, no one EVER asks to switch back to the old, slower way.

So am I biased or are there some legitimate rules of thumb for when it is actually appropriate?

In my current dilemma, I'm using a Javascript paginator with a fade in to show the next page's worth of content over 0.75 sec because if I do not do it, the change causes a tiny flicker (distracting to me), but maybe if I was in the user chair, I would be screaming, "just show me the page already!"

Thoughts? Anyone read any good books on this stuff?

Edit: I should mention that in my current example, the next page is almost always ready to be displayed instantly if I so desired. I prefetch the next page while the user is on the current page. That's one aspect of what makes something like this "eye candy" to me. I could do it faster with almost no difference to the user.

2nd Edit: Thanks for all the suggestions and considerations. There are several books that I'm looking forward to reading. I marked the ui-patterns website as the answer because it will be the most immediately useful for this type of problem. Also no one mentioned the YUI design pattern library, but I came across it later. It's an excellent resource and even addresses this issue. Also, I definitely intend to seek user input when I'm at that stage for this particular example.

Lastly, I understand that my initial reasoning about it didn't take into account my familiarity with windows vs my app. Since I'm so used to the Windows desktop, I now just want to get things done. Maybe way back when I first used xp, those transitions where helpful for a day or two. (I don't remember that being the case but maybe.) Probably the same will be true for my transitions in my web app if it's used often enough. Soon I (and my users) will be tired of any eye candy that I add even if it is very brief. I'll see and ask.

Thanks, everyone!

Answer 1

There is no easy answer The Design of Everyday Things is a good place to start looking into simplistic design. Sites like SO that have a "clean" look with a little extra flash (figurative not the adobe kind) seem to fair the best.

Exactly not MSDN is a good place to start...

Update - As pointed out by John in the comments the low bandwidth view of MSDN is actually pretty nice. Good call John Weldon I had never looked at it before (and likely never would have). Thanks!