Hi all,
On Monday, October 25, 1999, 1:22:47 PM (-5 GMT), Paula scribbled:
>> This is where I think you will find the most disagreement. The
>> majority of the list members ... Felt very strongly against
>> incorporating other functions like news reading, and even HTML into
>> TB.
> I think that the list members as a whole are probably not very
> representative of the general user community and those who post even
> less so. People who participate on mailing lists about software tend to
> be more computer-oriented than most people.
This is true in general. Although there are many who posts questions
here, the nature of which would indicate that they aren't as computer
oriented as you seem to imply.
> People who express a desire for integrated functionality are routinely
> hooted down on mailing lists and newsgroups, so that I suspect that even
> among those who might be participating, they might not be inclined to
> express their views.
Yes, I have to agree with this. I tend to send the suggestions which I
have no doubt about being of benefit to me and other users, straight
to Ritlabs. Others, I post here if it's not of any real consequence or
if it's of questionable benefit. I can certainly do without the
condescending 'hooting down' that some suggestions generate.
Suggestions are hardly ever pleasing to everyone and we should
respectfully keep this in mind.
>> Yes Outlook and Communicator package all that stuff together, but they
>> are both bloated pigs of software that don't do their jobs very well.
>> A certain phrase comes to mind when thinking about these two software
>> packages. "Jack of all trades, master of none."
>> I would much rather use separate pieces of software that are "masters"
>> than one kludged together bloated pig that can do a little bit of
>> everything.
> The other side of this argument is that the vast majority of users use,
> will use, and probably need only a fraction of the capability of a
> program. They don't need nor care about their software being master of
> anything. They also don't think or care about "bloat".
This again is true. I have tried to put this small point across to
certain techies but their general reaction is that the 'don't need and
don't care for technical functionality' mentality is borne of
ignorance and unwillingness to learn rather than of a genuine desire
or position, for that matter, based on rational reasoning.
A lot of this learning of another interface can be eased by
consistency, of which there's is indeed a lot of already, on a basic
level in TB, and is a direct issue to the basic user anyway. The
keyboard shortcuts leave a lot to be desired in terms of consistency
but this point has been brought up on numerous occasions.
Be that as it may, I don't see why The Bat! should be made to be like
all the other products out there, especially if it's gaining a
profitable userbase as is, with it's intended development roadmap as a
specialized e-mail only client. If one wishes for a news and e-mail
integrated app which is a master of neither or one, then there are
many solutions out there that fits the bill already.
I can understand users, who find TB great as is, feeling squirmy when
these sorts of suggestions crop up, because they feel that they've
managed to find an 'oasis' of an app that is not like so many of the
other monolithic, bloated, multifunctional types. They therefore tend
to get a bit forceful in dowsing these 'unwelcome' suggestions.
>> For instance, here is my software use: (15 programs)
> That's 15 programs with 15 different interfaces to learn and remember,
> often for tasks that are not performed that frequently. The commonality
> of interfaces and basic functions has benefits that can't be totally
> dismissed out of hand. In an office environment, this means less
> training costs, less support costs. I believe it was the desire for this
> intergration in a corporate setting that primarily motivated MS and
> Netscape to add and expand the news reader capabilities of their
> mailers. For home users, it's been my experience that many, maybe most,
> prefer integrated applications, because they don't want to have to deal
> with learning and maintaining many different applications. Plus there is
> the cost. When I got tired of NS crashing on me all the time and patched
> together my own suite of internet applications, it ended up costing me a
> couple hundred dollars total.
Agreed!!
> Exactly. It is a niche market that appreciates and wants these
> small, fast, highly specialized products. I don't know how RIT Labs
> envisions the market for TB, but they seem to wish it to be used by
> businesses. If so, then a companion news reader might be a good
> idea, even if it does not have all the power of Agent or Gravity. I
> wouldn't use it myself, but I see where it would add to TB's
> competitiveness in a larger market.
I guess this is the crux of the matter and Ritlabs calls the shots.
It's a matter of which user types they plan to cater to. I guess it
all depends on returns/profitability.
This is what makes the plug-in principle so appealing. It makes
Ritlabs able to cater to both user types. Although,IMHO, it doesn't
adequately address the problem of mastery when multi-functionality
creeps in. This, I think is secondary to the development team trying
to manage too many aspects of functionality. Their development
energies are therefore not focused. So, perhaps, plug-ins will deal
nicely with the bloat issue, but not the issue of compromised mastery.
--
Regards,
-=Ali=-
>>> If it was easy, the hardware people would take care of it. <<<
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