On Fri, 2007-01-05 at 13:43 -0800, Les wrote:
> > Software is often designed to be attractive to first-time users and
> > perhaps has to be, but once you have learned it's tricks and it has
> > learned your preferences it should adapt to stay more out of the way.
>
> Hi, Les,
> I have written some adaptive software. It is very difficult, and not
> rewarding, because however it adapts, the users will say "But that is
> not what I wanted!", and you can even have the history to prove that
> their actions were that way each and every time that they used the
> software, yet it missed expectations. That is the very definition of
> misset expectations and customer disillusionment.
I wasn't expecting it to adapt automatically. I'd expect it to
adapt by having a preferences setting where the user can go to
select the desired new defaults. Surprises aren't good for
anyone.
> I suggest that you write a piece of user adaptive software, and check
> out how it is done, then let us all know your results. My personal
> results were very disappointing, and frustrating on both my self and the
> user forced to work with me to attempt to rectify the situation. The
> solution in the end was to provide a system of defaults and default
> selections controlled by a script file which neither of us was totally
> happy with, but both of us agreed that it met the requirements of
> meeting expectations, being adaptable to use and simple to change
> behaviours. YMMV.
I don't mind having to use a scripting language as long as it is
bash or perl. That will apply to a few dozen people, I suppose.
I hate it when an application invents its own extension language
and syntax that isn't useful anywhere else. That probably applies
to everyone except the ones that use this application enough that
learning it is a net win.
--
Les Mikesell
lesmikesell@xxxxxxxxx
