Re: looking at the survey (UI)

[EAMorical@aol.com]

In a message dated 10/21/98 2:33:39 PM EST, arma@mit.edu writes:

>Rating scale:
 
>Crucial: This issue is one of the most important things I consider in
> evaluating a computer system
>very important: This issue is very important to me in evaluating a computer
> system
>important: This issue is important, but I am willing to compromise for more
> important issues
>relevant: I consider this issue when I evaluate a computer system, when all
> else appears equal
>unimportant: This issue is not relevant for/to me
 
>User Interface:
>  - Having a graphical interface to applications and system 
 
>crucial. i need to be able to use a graphical windowing environment,
>because of things like netscape.

crucial have gotten too use to it.
 
>   - Having a command-line interface to applications and system 
 
>crucial. otherwise i wouldn't be able to actually perform any work.

crucial for Linux rarely use anymore with Windows.
 
>   - Intuitive user interface 
 
>important. if it's tough, i'll be able to figure it out eventually. A
>powerful user interface is much more important. (Maybe that should be a
>question.)

crucial in a world where the value of time is continually rising
 
>   - Consistent user interface (things behave the same way even comparing
>between two separate applications) 
 
>relevant. it might be nice, and maybe one day i'll take advantage of it..

critical in a world where the value of time is continually rising
 
>   - Consistent graphical and/or textual user interfaces, and the ability to
exploit >both to the user's advantage 
 
>what's the difference between this question and the last? And didn't we
>make "the ability to exploit both to the user's advantage" better worded,
>somewhere along the line?

critical in a world where the value of time is continually rising
 
>   - Dumping error messages to a text file as well as to the screen 
 
>This is only relevant to me for misbehaving proprietary programs
>(open-source programs never seem to have this problem..) And I try to
>avoid these programs anyway. So I guess the answer is 'relevant'. But
>maybe I'm just saying this because I already have this feature and don't
>realize how important it is.

unimportant if I don't have the source I can't do anything about it anyway
and if I have the source I can fix it so that it writes to a file.
 
>  - Having a program which explains error messages 

important I guess

>  - Intuitive error messages from the OS and applications from the beginning?
>Rather than an interpreter... 
 
>I say we combine these two into
>  - Intuitive error messages from the OS and applications
 
>in which case I would say 'very important'.

important I guess
 
>   - Being able to access context-sensitive help information 
 
>I've learned to live without it, but I think it would be neat. 'Important'.
 
important I guess

>   - Being able to access a index of functions so that an experienced user
can find >information quickly
>(needs reworking) 
 
>How about 'being able to access or search an index of keywords or help
>documents, so experienced users can find information quickly'?
 
>crucial. I wish 'man -k foo' were better. Currently I use infoseek as my help
>document search engine, because I don't have any good documents local to me.
>And since I'm networked, I don't need them anyway...

important I guess I'm getting tired
 
>   - Multiple-languages (support for several languages) 
 
>unimportant

unimportant maybe some day
 
>   - Multi-language (support for several languages simultaneously) 
 
>unimportant

unimportant
 
Bob