Combo boxes require at least 2-3 clicks to figure out which option to choose (clicking on the arrow for the drop down to pop-up , then moving through the list and selecting). Once you’ve selected there is no way of reviewing your selection and compare it to other selections (you have to repeat the process).
Multiple selects, allow you to review the whole or part of a list, but inexperienced users will never guess the ctrl-click or shift-click operations. Placing instructions like “ctrl-click to select multiple items” may solve some problems, but you are rely on users actually reading instructions, which they don’t.
Moreover, ctrl-click operation can create havoc if user accidentally selects an item without holding ctrl (even worse if selected items are a few scrolls up and the user can’t even see that they are now de-selected).
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posted by gchatz