-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA256 Thom Holwerda wrote: > The fear of alienating Windows users should NOT get in the way of > developing a user interface. The moment it does, you might as well stop > developing UIs altogether. > Where would mankind be if it only stuck to what it knew?
Hi Thom Perhaps the most important point here is that while Windows might be 95% of the market, that does not mean that their usability is right. We should not aim to be like Windows because Windows looks a certain way. Features that show productivity and ease-of-use increases should be adopted, and features that are unhelpful dropped. Our game must not be to mimic the leader, but rather to focus on what will increase real productivity in challenging environments. If we can reduce time-to-task, decrease visual confusion, and reduce 'seek time' then we are doing something positive. We have some many opportunities to develop system that improve people's lives. It is highly important that we do not institute random, emotional or simply copycat changes. We have the resources, ability and time to focus on advancement. Let this advance be scientific, provable and repeatable. I'm preparing some papers at the moment about semiotics and application/web design. I'm hoping to have the first one out before the end of the month. Perhaps they can contribute something useful in an overarching conceptual way. Meanwhile, I know Microsoft have a usability team. Could we ask them for a copy of their Vista HIG? Shane - -- Shane Martin Coughlan e: [EMAIL PROTECTED] m: +447773180107 w: www.shaneland.co.uk - --- Projects: http://mobility.opendawn.com http://gem.opendawn.com http://enigmail.mozdev.org http://www.winpt.org - --- Organisations: http://www.fsfeurope.org http://www.fsf.org http://www.labour.org.uk http://www.opensourceacademy.gov.uk - --- OpenPGP: http://www.shaneland.co.uk/personalpages/shane/files/publickey.asc -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.4-svn4127: (MingW32) iQCVAwUBRGN9uNwG3M95JPpzAQgPLwP/b7NQGcNEW7zbFiP0Y2XZ2PBhHadsirb8 i3KWIJ8PnyMy1vBgF1Gx3HmNscrvq5H2NZUpZkNOxuBUy6PBh89O6+4tsOn3gxAh znhrMYXKY1FgKnY+y4KdEm9vDG2qjWfXr6bf3yMt66pYKF9FsIPU7d1eFTFS7wU5 20icnlP2Nas= =khgj -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- _______________________________________________ Usability mailing list [email protected] http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/usability
