Linux and fonts and Firefox and human-factors design

Tom Buskey tom at buskey.name
Tue Oct 31 11:20:00 EST 2006


We are all lucky to be working with X11.  It gives us a choice and
most people customize the GUI in X11 so they know how different things
work.

Windows and Macintosh essentially have only one interface.  The only
time it really changes is when the next version comes out.  Both have
had lots of research to make it fit the standard user.

I think they succeeded at that.  They both fit most users pretty well.

Of course most of those users have never seen anything else.  It's
like using tools from Sears vs ones in a machinist's toolbox that were
self created.  Most can't customize their tools like the machinist
can/will.

And that's too bad.  I remember hearing of some CAD guys on an old VAX
based system that had programmed various gestures into the system.
They could quickly put up elaborate drawings with a few strokes on the
tablet.  It took years for them to get to that level and it
disappeared when the VAX and the CAD software aged beyond its
usefulness.  Needless to say, they had a lot of frustration with their
next CAD system.


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