My experience with business customers is rather that they sick and tired of the ever changing user interfaces that don't bring real improvements to their everyday work. It seems to me that most user NEEDS concerning the UI have already been met, all that's being met now is the WANTS of a very small group of gadget maniacs. Some people stick to MS Office 2000, because all that came after that really didn't bring anything usefull to them. O yeah, I know the new features and benefits, but many people simply don't need them and especially the user interface 'improvement' I find rather confusing, simply too much. Even in the 2000 version they started with that weird feature of not showing all menu options at a time, a feature I have to hastely switch off over again with each new installation.
So I agree with the contributions below that state businesses don't ask for fancy interfaces. So who does? It's the ones who wish to sell new things. It's like what supermarkets do when the rearrange the locations of the various products. They do that because they want me to see and buy things I never bought before. But I, the customer, don't want it, because I want to do my shopping as quickly as possible and buy the things I need, not more. -----Oorspronkelijk bericht----- Van: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Namens CubicDesign Verzonden: woensdag 20 juni 2007 12:57 Aan: Delphi-Talk Discussion List Onderwerp: Re: Good morning Delphi question I observed (but maybe I am wrong) that there is a direct relation between the request for a cool (fancy, 3D, colorful...) interface and the user's skills in computer. A beginner will always ask for a '1 button 3D interface'. They decide to use a program based not on the size on disk of that program or on memory requirements, but on how good the program looks. On the opposite direction, advanced users requests for complex interfaces that ARE ABLE to do multiple and complex functions. If the interface is colorful or not, it doesn't matter to them. Even more, they use often Shell or Dos boxes where the coolness of the interface is zero. _______ I must tell you about my new digital camera's software (which fall in the first category) that can download my pictures from camera. The size of the program (installed) on disk is way over 100MB. The interface (and the manual) goes like this: press the 'Download' button to download your pictures. Press the 'View' button to view the pictures. Irfan View can do the same stuff (and much more) in 2MB. But a beginner won't use it because its buttons are not rounded and semi-transparent and 3D. _______ My conclusion is that a 3D interface program is good as long as it stays under 2-3MB. If I have to wait more than 4 seconds to load it, then I happily open Google to look for a different one. _______ Of topic: there is a program called Foxit that can load a PDF in less than a second. The program has no installer and can run from a floppy/flash stick. Finally a good Acrobat replacer. Eugene Nosko wrote: > Good point you got there, in my opinion, the best user interface is > one button which occupies whole visible area on the screen. The > caption on the button is - "Do everything I need right now" and when > user pushes it, it actually does it. Of course this is far away from > reality, maybe AI will make it possible but the point is, the good > user interface should not be fancy if it doesn't need to. If program > performs simple repetitive tasks and > 4 functions that keep it under control (like on/off/load/save) no need > to design 3D interfaces. > > On 6/18/07, orca skynet <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> Never had a customer that required a high-tech interface. My apps are >> quite old-fashioned in the inferface part, and when i look around in >> the accouting departments whereever i come, i still encounter >> text-based interfaces ... >> Winapps will be around for some time, there are still a lot of >> people, even in younger generations that aren't computer geeks, and >> never will be. >> Simple >> straighforward interfaces is by the way one of the stronger >> characteristics of my applications. Easy to use, an orderly overview >> and stupid 'plain' >> buttons. Believe it or not, in an administrational environment, >> nobody ever asked me for a drap and drop interface. You know the one, >> the kind where you dropped or dragged something by accident ... and >> that's just not something you want to encouter when working with >> critical data. >> I admit, 3D interfaces, they are cool, look flashy, but in the end >> your still doing the same thing you've been doing for ten years, I'd >> rather see investment in stability and security on the miscrosoft >> side, instead of cool interfaces and gadgets. >> Of course it has it's value, in certain environments like DTP or CAD >> or whatever, but in your standard administration it's not a >> requirement, it just clutters the essence of the matter. And let's >> face it, isn't standard administration the greater part of what we're al doing ? >> The strength of software has always been what it can do for you >> automatically, following certain rules. It's meant to save time, >> prevent errors, and help you where it can. If it looks nice along the >> way, that's a good thing, but functionality still dominates on my >> part. >> Applications where interfaces are the essence of the matter are >> rather rare, and mostly in specialized markets that development their >> own interface standards.I've never been one of the guys to jump on >> every new train that came by, and uptill now never had to regret it. >> Innovation is a nice thing, but let's not get crazy. I'd spent more >> on a laptop-battery that would hold for ten hours than on a 3D interface. >> Sure, at some point we'll have to following the trends that are >> evolving, but don't we have on great influence on that ourselves ???????? >> Furthermore, making a living out of software or not depends on far >> more factors than just software alone, I sell and can sell simple >> administrative packages for EUR500 to everyday small businesses. >> Packages that one could by of the shelf for EUR100 with far more >> options. And i even confront these people with that option, and still >> they are more interested in what i have to offer. An easy to use >> 'conservative' winapp with solid support behind it, and help whenever >> needed. Instead of diving off the cliff, trying every EUR100 package, >> one after another, getting stuck along the way and lost in the maze >> ... And this symptom is spread over all the customer ages ... When >> they're doing business, they'd like to concentrate on their business >> instead of getting lost into something that is 'but' a tool .... >> >> Seems i'm in my writing days .. >> Orca >> Gent - Belgium >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "David Lyon" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> To: "Delphi-Talk Discussion List" <delphi-talk@elists.org> >> Sent: Friday, June 15, 2007 2:30 AM >> Subject: Re: Good morning Delphi question >> >> >> >>> Hi Robert, >>> >>> I appreciate entirely your point of view, but I don't think it is >>> fair to blame miclonoft or whoever it is for the whoes of the world. >>> >>> Simply because even they are under pressure... because time moves on.... >>> software is competitive... >>> >>> Recently I did a presentation at the Australian Delphi Users Group >>> on OpenGL. I make the claim that all WinApps are going to be as >>> obsolete as character interfaces over the next few years. User >>> Interfaces are going 3d... like it or not... >>> >>> So you're accounting system will come up with a 3D cube with the >>> customer face on it, the invoices will get stacked in 3d, you'll >>> move things around in the 3d workspace. >>> >>> MS isn't to blame for that, but probably Apple with their really >>> really sexy 3D apps. >>> >>> So when one door closes, another opens. >>> >>> My suggestion is to learn GLScene for Delphi and start learning 3d >>> interfaces. >>> >>> I think that is where the 'cool' in programming is going these days.... >>> >>> Regards >>> >>> David >>> >>> >>> Robert Meek wrote: >>> >>>> Hi all, >>>> Sorry I haven't been able to participate on the lists so >>>> infrequently as of late. And thanx for the many personal >>>> well-wishes I have received from so many members over the last >>>> couple months. I am amazed my friends here have shown their >>>> support and care so much more than those I've known locally since >>>> grade school! But I guess it's >>>> >> more >> >>>> due to the fact that they are still living their lives nightly >>>> sopping up beer at the firehouse trying to keep up Schuylkill >>>> County's reputation as drinking more per capita than any other >>>> county in the entire State of Pa., while I only show up for meetings anymore! >>>> Although it's been tough getting back into my work I HAVE been >>>> trying to create a different interface for XP and/or Vista unlike >>>> those commonly available because most of the few small business >>>> clients I still have loyal to me are constantly complaining that >>>> they want more integration into the OS of the various solutions I offer them. >>>> Especially for those that have upgraded to Vista, where Microsoft >>>> is doing it's best to make it impossible for the lone programmer to >>>> get >>>> >> any >> >>>> work because of their offering everything I used to provide with >>>> >> desktop >> >>>> solutions for free! Basically, the only two programs I've sold in >>>> the last year have no real visual UI of their own but simply get >>>> called and work from the OS's menu systems. I wouldn't mind so >>>> much but even business clients who should know better don't like >>>> paying for something they can't see no matter how well it works or >>>> what problems it solves for them! >>>> There was a well written but depressing article/editorial in a >>>> freebie NET mag I read last month, ( the name escapes me at the >>>> moment ), in which the writer compared guys like me to canaries in >>>> the old >>>> >> coal >> >>>> mines, and how unless you can re-educate yourself to work using NET >>>> as part of a team, but specializing yourself in one particular area >>>> of the target solution, it is impossible to make a living anymore. >>>> I never made a living or really tried to as programming has always >>>> been more of a sideline for me having started so late, but I >>>> >> used >> >>>> to at least make it pay for itself and used it as an additional >>>> asset >>>> >> to >> >>>> the services I provided my clients! >>>> How are some of you that might work alone as I do been dealing with >>>> such problems...or aren't you? >>>> I've dallied about with VS and NET over the last two years, but I >>>> must admit that I find Delphi much easier to work with and >>>> >> understand! >> >>>> NET programming feels to me like cooking by recipe in place of >>>> experimenting with your own creativity and finding how to make a >>>> dish that tastes good. And its taking programming where the >>>> availability of computing power has taken the game of >>>> chess...making it a worthless endeavor unless your idea of fun is in crunching data! >>>> Any comments? >>>> >>>> from Robert Meek dba "Tangentals Design" >>>> e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>> Freelance Windows Programming for XP and Vista Also proud to be a >>>> Moderator of the "Delphi-List" at elists.org >>>> >>>> "Reality cannot be explained...only enjoyed or endured as your >>>> current perspective allows!" >>>> >>>> >>>> __________________________________________________ >>>> Delphi-Talk mailing list -> Delphi-Talk@elists.org >>>> http://www.elists.org/mailman/listinfo/delphi-talk >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> __________________________________________________ >>> Delphi-Talk mailing list -> Delphi-Talk@elists.org >>> http://www.elists.org/mailman/listinfo/delphi-talk >>> >> __________________________________________________ >> Delphi-Talk mailing list -> Delphi-Talk@elists.org >> http://www.elists.org/mailman/listinfo/delphi-talk >> >> > > > > __________________________________________________ Delphi-Talk mailing list -> Delphi-Talk@elists.org http://www.elists.org/mailman/listinfo/delphi-talk __________________________________________________ Delphi-Talk mailing list -> Delphi-Talk@elists.org http://www.elists.org/mailman/listinfo/delphi-talk
