[openbeos-cdt] Re: Areas of interest for CDT
- From: Johan Aires Rastén <johan@xxxxxxxx>
- To: openbeos-cdt@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:45:42 +0100
On Wed, Nov 11, 2009 at 3:42 PM, Eddy Groen <eddyspeeder@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Ad.1: "Usability": absolutely, indeed with workflow analysis and performance
> measurements. However, do we have the proper facilities to do this? It
> requires controlled conditions, not to mention huge amounts of time in data
> processing and analysis.
True, but even as laymen I think we could be useful. Even a hobbyist
analysis might be better than none at all.
For example we might analyse an interaction process (a user doing
something) and measure the number of mouse clicks, mouse pointer move
distance, swaps between mouse and keyboard etc. Then we could see if
any steps could be simplified or removed. If we feel that comparing
the efficiency of two processes, I guess the difference might be so
small that it's not worth it.
> Ad.2: "User-friendliness": is too vague a term as this definition strongly
> differs among users. "Human-computer interaction" applies better here,
> involving the question "does the computer do what the user wants?"
Ok, maybe not the best word, that's why I added the explanation :)
What I meant by this category is how the computer presents information
to the user. For example how well in conveys which actions are
possible, the consequences of these actions, help texts and of course
pure data.
Getting the computer to understand the user is what I tried to
describe with category 1. I also think that everything we talk about
on this list falls within HCI, as it's a rather wide field of science.
> Ad.3: Proposal: "Aesthetics and emotion-driven design."
Sure, why not :)
@Nicholas:
I think the problem with experimental UI's is that they only work when
you're using a single application at a time (like you said, with Amiga
screens or on the iPhone). But if you need to stick several apps on
one screen or try to connect 2 apps, where one isn't a plugin designed
specifically for the other, it would most likely turn rather messy.
On the other hand, Propellerheads' Reason is an example where I think
a custom UI really works.
I think screens aren't that far away. We have workspaces already and
I'm advocating that all the junk on the desktop should be removed (and
that functionality added elsewhere), dynamic creation of workspaces
and when I have time I'll finish my gnome-do clone so don't need the
deskbar for everything.
//Johan
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