[thelist] Re: UI Standards

[Frank]

At 04:57 PM 8/1/2002 -0700, you wrote:
 > mac obviously realized the downside to their previous
 > interface and changed it to mimic windows.

I'm currently a Windows/Linux but a Mac user at heart. I think Windows is
****, but I use it until such time as Macromedia comes out with the OSX
version of Cold Fusion. I don't care for any form of Unix, but I can
respect it, because it generally knows who its audience is. It doesn't
pretend to be a consumer device, and it makes it clear that it caters to
the more technically oriented user. That's fine. It's honest about who it
is. I can live with that with peace in my heart, and use it as I need it.
It's natural to be biased towards that which we originally learned and/or
grew up with. It takes a fair bit of intellectual honesty to be able to
view the good and bad on all platforms without getting zealous about it.

I think that it's important to attend to keeping on topic with TheList
rather than potentially getting into an OS war.

To address a point. I don't think that  Apple saw "the error of their ways"
but rather, decided to cater to that which would lead them to their goal:
that of increasing market share. It seems to me that if you want a Windows
user to switch over, that it makes sense to emulate that which they are
used to- interface is such a subjective thing that it will never be
conclusively proven to be better or worse than it's peers, and so, often
isn't worth the debate.

<tip type="OS acclimatization" author="Frank Marion">

When dealing with a new operating system, it's easy to see what is wrong
with it based on the comfort of prior experience. It's often not a question
of making a switch, as much as it is adding an additional skill to your
repertoire.

In the case of all OS's, many, many smart people have taken the time to
create some of their best work for it. Look for the good, and think of how
it can be of benefit to you, and you might find the conversion a little
easier than if you wear the glasses of prejudice. The worse that can happen
is that you will soon be able to offer greater value on the market, be more
flexible and have a greater sense of confidence as you move around in the
computer world.

</tip>


Frank Marion
framar at interlog.com