Question for net.views column in UNIX Today!

[terry linhardt]

In article <9103311847.AA06681 at relay1.UU.NET>, usinset!jr at uunet.UU.NET writes:
+ 
+ Compare this with another common user interface - that of an
+ automobile's driving console.  If you rent a car, you just open the
+ door, sit down and drive off.  You don't have to worry that the pedal on
+ the right is the accelerator, and on the left is the brake; you don't
+ spend 20 minutes with the manual to look for the turn signal knob!  Why
+ not?  Because things are in standard places.  This means that you can
+ drive a Honda Civic with as much ease as a Mercedes 500.  Sure, the
+ shape of the controls varies, and there are some common alternatives (2
+ pedals or 3, stick shift or column), but people can cope with this.
+ 
+ Having 6 different GUI Looks and many, many application Feels is too
+ much.  One standard, please.
+ 
It is interesting that the 'standard interface' on automobiles, which
you use as an example, was arrived at via a market-driven mechanism,
rather than having a committee sit down and try to 'figure out' what
would be appropriate.

I am in favor of standards. However, I would prefer to see that 
process used to 'codify' practices which the market-place has put
its blessing on. I don't think that the market has made a decision
yet on the GUI issue. In spite of the current frustration which
your users feel, I would rather seem them make the ultimate
decision....which they indeed will do, if allowed to do so.

-- 
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|  Terry Linhardt      The Lafayette Group      uunet!jgaltstl!terry  | 
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