Examination of a Linux Gui, w/color commentary

Derek Martin invalid at pizzashack.org
Mon Mar 1 21:58:55 EST 2004


On Mon, Mar 01, 2004 at 11:26:04AM -0500, Michael ODonnell wrote:
> Followup article on ESR's rant, including input from
> the CUPS folks and other feedback...
> 
>  http://www.newsforge.com/software/04/03/01/1453218.shtml

Best and most important part of this one:

  Remember the Macintosh dictum that the user should never have to
  tell the machine anything that it knows or can deduce for itself.

  As few as possible decision points is another way of stating the
  guiding principle of good UI design for end-users: Allow the user
  the luxury of ignorance. This does not mean that you can't reward
  acquired knowledge with more choices and more power; you can and
  should do that. But the user should also be able to choose to remain
  ignorant and still get all their basic tasks done. The more
  thoroughly software developers internalize the truth that real users
  have better things to do with their time and attention than worship
  at the shrine of geek technical prowess, the better off everyone
  will be.

-- 
Derek D. Martin
http://www.pizzashack.org/
GPG Key ID: 0xDFBEAD02
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