>One thing I haven't seen discussed is the use of explicit Edit mode. If you are using explicit edit mode (user must enter edit mode by pressing button, etc. before any keystrokes are accepted) then implicit save mode is fine. If you are using implicit edit then there seems to be a place for explicit save. To use Cooper's example above, if I amm a new user and accidently hit some keys on my keyboard (messy desk, big fingers or whatever) and then try to go to the next record and the program saves the bad keystrokes without askig me I am going to say "what's wrong here? How come it didn't ask me before ruining my data?" This is a normal situation as users quite often will bring a customer or other record up on the screen and leave it there for an indefinite period.

I tend not to use explicit Edit mode. If a user want to edit some data he (or she) clicks (or tabs right to it) the data and changes it. All the changed data is coloring red just to let user see wich data has been changed. If the user want to undo the data, just click the undo button and the data is coloring blue again.(In my program editable data is colored blue, changed data is colored red, non-editable data is colored black)

>I know there are arguments for and against allowing data entry unless specifically asked. For many reasons including Standard Interface type things, I use implicit edit and explicit save. Others might design a different interface.

I have:)

>The point is that somehow the integrity of the data must be ensured, either by protecting against accidental entry (Edit mode) or confirming changes before saving them. I don't know how many times I have been thankful for a "Do you really want ....?" type message. It has saved me many hours of frustration.

But IMO always having a messagebox for confirmation is a real pain in the ... The users tend to not read dialog boxes anymore because they can predict when tey occur. And when they occur they make the choices instinctively. Whena real important dialog box is comming up its they tend to make a choice before reading it.