eric-engle : Sorry for my absence, struggling to slay
the dragon Thesis...
Alain: How do you feel about working on FreeCard's
legal issues once again?
eric-engle : My understanding is that we the GUI we
are developing will be substantially different from
that used by MC, and will not be merely cosmetic
changes.
Alain: That is my understanding too.
eric-engle : In MC we have "folders" which present all
object attributes. I actually do not have a problem
with this approach.
Alain: This is an inefficient approach, I am told.
FreeCard will be using XBF for file-format stuff.
eric-engle : In fact, I find the MC GUI at least
adequate. Certainly I think that cosmetic changes are
necessary ...
Alain : Adequate, but people expect more from software
that costs $995.
eric-engle : ... beyond that, I must ask what our
objectives are.
Alain: Good question.
eric-engle : I think the MC GUI takes up lots of desk
space (six open windows is actually not uncommon: tool
palette, scripteditor, object editor, and maybe home
and help...) but that will be adressed by changing
sizes of the stacks in question.
Alain: This is a very frequent complaint leveled at a
lot of current softwares that are over-burdened with
features/windows. A challenge we will have to face up
to as well.
eric-engle : A simple 'facelift' of the MC GUI would
be an improvement, and can be presented soon (in fact,
I am prototyping a version with a 'cream' background,
blue textfont, using chicago and monaco...) but before
I do the palette (gradient shades of gray create a
'metallic appearance' and will reverse - requiring 32
different icons ...
Alain: Notify us when it is ready, Eric.
eric-engle : ... in HC just an afternoon, but in MC
will take 2 or 3 days).
Alain: Clues as to what we need to change to make the
GUI easier may be gleaned from the difficulties that
are slowing you down when you use MC instead of HC.
eric-engle : ...because I'm still a beginner.
Alain: Beginners are the best testers because they
have to infer what to do and how to do it by reacting
to what the GUI provides, instead of counting on
experience to fill the gaps.
eric-engle : I want some 'feedback' on our Grand
Objective: Is it to create a completely different
interface.
Alain: You could say we have 3 sub-projects. There is
the FreeCard application, the FreeCard GUI, and the
FreeScript scripting language. MetaCard is a temporary
stand-in for the first because MetaCard wants the 2nd.
eric-engle : if so, in what respects? I honestly feel
some simple cosmetic changes would be sufficient ...
Alain: MetaCard is a temporary stand-in. Do not focus
merely on that.
eric-engle : ... however I am happy to go 'one step
beyond' ...
Alain: What should the ultimate interface be like ?
eric-engle : ... after people tell me where to go
Alain: Do not sell yourself short, Eric. Help us
imagine what FreeCard will become.
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. All in one place.
Yahoo! Shopping: http://shopping.yahoo.com
