[Tfug] Progress indicators

[Bexley Hall]

Hi,

What's the "best" way to convey to a user the "progress"
made on completing a task?

It seems like most indicators convey "work done" -- where
work is usually defined as bytes moved, etc.

Or, they are calibrated in completely bogus, nonlinear
units (e.g., progress indicators that chug along merrily
at a seemingly constant rate, then *jump* ahead, then
*stall* -- even though the process is obviously
continuing at the same "speed" as before, etc.).

Does it make sense to use different means for different
tasks?

Or, do users tend to think of tasks in terms of the amount
of *time* required ("Who cares if X bytes have been transfered
and that represents 12.673% of the total...  how much of this
is *finished* vs. how much REMAINS??")

--don