2011/8/7 Fons Adriaensen <fons@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>: > On Sun, Aug 07, 2011 at 06:09:16PM +0800, Simon Wise wrote: > >> 1/ Allow someone opening up an application for the first time to click >> around and discover what it might be able to do before they start looking >> at any manuals. >> >> 2/ Allow someone who uses it everyday to do the things they do frequently >> as quickly and ergonomically as possible, assuming they have already >> spent some time learning the system. >> >> >> The first helps sales, and without it many people won't look further > > Indeed. But so what ? If a potential user doesn't look further then > (s)he is probably just browsing to kill time and boredom, and doesn't > need the application at all. What can I, as a developer, expect from > such a 'user' ? Why should I even spend a second of my time to please > anyone who is not motivated at all ? > Hm. Depending on existing knowledge, the amount of time required to understand an application can largely vary. I wouldn't call an un-experienced unmotivated. Usability (better: user-friendlyness ) is about supporting the learning process. About 12 years ago, I've been someone who did a hardware-reset, in order to quit vi (text-editor). That tool didn't give a hint how to use, nor how to quit it. Changing that would have been simple and had had no influence on functionality. I think this applies to many applications: You can do 2/ but still support a new user getting there, without too much hassle. -- E.R. _______________________________________________ Linux-audio-user mailing list Linux-audio-user@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx http://lists.linuxaudio.org/listinfo/linux-audio-user
