On Tuesday 03 September 2002 12:28 pm, Sacha Chua wrote: > Don't get me wrong - Microsoft is nice. I like some of the things > that Microsoft has worked on. For example, I think task-based user > interfaces are a good thing - much better than cluttered icons and > whatnot. I think they've achieved a lot of success in making their > office suite friendly enough so that non-technical people don't need > that much handholding. That's a good thing.
Usability-wise, the MS people, have used this usability as a triple-edged sword. First, hide from normal users the complexity of the underlying software and make it easy to use (good). Second, use this usability to hide the innards of the software from peer review (bad). Third, take existing technology from others and turn it into proprietary versions of their own, under the false premise that messing up with the code will break usability and successful interoperation with the underlying OS (bad). While Linux presents software like a collection of Lego bricks that Sacha can take apart and reassemble in novel ways that is more usable, structurally stronger, and architecturally pleasing and sound. Hope you won't get tired tinkering with these Lego bricks. :-) mikol _ Philippine Linux Users Group. Web site and archives at http://plug.linux.org.ph To leave: send "unsubscribe" in the body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe to the Linux Newbies' List: send "subscribe" in the body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
