NoOp wrote:
On 12/20/2009 07:36 PM, Rufus wrote:
Robert Kaiser wrote:
Rufus wrote:
...if users aren't being considered in a development path, that's a
pretty inconsiderate way to "develop" a product.
I fully agree. The picture is just not that simple usually, and most of
the time it's tradeoffs between listening to different user bases, or
tradeoffs causing to get some large improvements while losing some
smaller thing(s) or tradeoffs between getting something shipped and
being perfect.
Usually, when you create something, you have to make some hard decisions
involving such tradeoffs, and the same if true here. And that's what
project management is all about. If you have ever done such a "job", in
business or in non-profit space, you probably know what I mean.
We're trying our best to deliver the best software we can - that may
sometimes not be enough for everyone, but believe me, we're trying hard
to deliver the best thing we can do for our users.
In terms of SeaMonkey 2, those decisions were in a few cases between
letting the project as a whole die or replacing some old feature with a
new feature that works differently. How would you decide in such a
situation?
Robert Kaiser
The above pretty much sums up what I do for a living for software driven
human interfaces for systems...keep in mind, I'm not a coder - I'm an
evaluator/configuration manager. In my professional world I have a user
base that has formal training requirements and the requirement to
maintain skillset - there are no such user requirements for using SM,
and so IMO maintaining a stable configuration with an informative
interface is of paramount importance if the team wishes to adequately
service the widest user base.
<snipped good points in a paid environment>
That a REALLY short treatise on how I've done it...and a fair start for
anyone else.
Bear in mind that you are paid, work in a paid environment, evaluate
UI's in software/systems that have budgets, etc. All of your points are
good& valid... how about volunteering your non-professional time to the
SeaMonkey project? I'm sure that the SeaMonkey developers (who are
unpaid& volunteer their time) would welcome your expertise.
http://www.seamonkey-project.org/dev/get-involved
As I said, I'm an evaluator/manager - not a coder. I can give advise,
and I can manage...and coders can ignore me - like they do at work.
Until I point out the risks...
...and SM's user base is WAY larger than mine. I'd likely be a good
beta tester. That's about the best I can offer. But the coders would
have to actually listen to me, or I wouldn't be of much help.
--
- Rufus
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