[thelist] OT: Adobe doesn't want your feedback

[Madhu Menon]

So I decided to write to Adobe and tell them to fix their site so that
http://adobe.com actually goes to their site.

I dutifully visited their "contact us" page at:
http://www.adobe.com/misc/webform.html

and filled this in:

<quote>

I would imagine that a company that "gets it" like Adobe would at least
ensure that http://adobe.com also goes to the web site, but it doesn't.
Only the "www.adobe.com" version works. Did you know that your company is
ridiculed for this on web development mailing lists? It doesn't help your
company image at all.

</quote>

... and I hit the "Submit" button.

What do I get?


Guess...



No, guess again...



OK, I got a... wait for it... 404 "page not found" error. (
http://cgi1.adobe.com/misc/webformthanks.html )

That's right, this is what I got:

<quote>

We're sorry! The page you were trying to view is no longer here. If you
reached this page from another part of Adobe.com, please let us know so we
can fix the problem.

Use our search engine to locate what you're looking for
Where to search:

Entire site
Product Information only
Technical Support documents only

</quote>


I guess Adobe doesn't want your feedback after all. ;)


<tip type="user experience" author="Madhu Menon">

If you're running an e-commerce site, don't mix up hyperlinks and buttons.
Elements like "add to cart" and "check out" button should always be
buttons. That way, they convey a definite action. A good way of determining
whether to use hyperlinks or button is to look at the element's primary
purpose. If it's to navigate to another page, use a hyperlink. So the "Pop
music" should be a hyperlink, and so too should be "Album details". But
"Update cart" should be a button.

Also remember to make the key elements bigger and more visible. Some
designers like to maintain visual appeal by making everything the same
size. This could be a mistake. If something is going to be used frequently,
such as the "add to cart" button, make it bigger and more prominent.

</tip>

Regards,

Madhu

<<<   *   >>>
Madhu Menon
User Experience Consultant
e-mail: webguru at vsnl.net

Weblog: http://madman.weblogs.com