Re: A really good article on software usability

[Andy Green <andy@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Anne Wilson wrote:

> Not the same thing at all.  Where the only options are on/off you can *only* 

Well, there are dimmer switches.  One day there will be a popup on your 
lightswitch saying, "where do you want your light today?  Please draw me 
a picture.  Use suchandsuch swirly gesture for bright (etc...)".  But 
the oldstyle lightwitch is the perfect degenerate case of all this.  One 
function, one meaning, it only violates your expectation if your 
expectation wasn't deliverable anyway.  "makes light come and go" 
describes it almost fully in five words.

> want to decide whether the change that caused the question to be asked is 
> significant or not.

Yeah but the meaning of automation is that it automates.  It only 
multiplies what we can do with it (ie, helps) if it makes assumptions 
that are valid within its context.  If power was free, a lightswitch 
that turned the lights on if it was dark outside would be fine for 
almost all cases.  When the assumptions tightly correspond to the 
context like Les Mikesell's example of the iPod we love it like we love 
a clever dog.  When it makes wrong assumptions and makes hassle we love 
it like we love a smartass.

-Andy