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Stop Being an Idiot

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Re: Stop Being an Idiot

#3
I agree with the author's point, but I really wish there were some examples. It's one thing to say that you're against stupid, boring interface design. I think we could all agree on that. But I bet we'd have a slightly harder time agreeing on just which interface designs are stupid/boring and which are simple/elegant.

Re: Stop Being an Idiot

#4
The simplest way that you can measure & tweak usability to your site is to do some basic field testing.

Nielsen has an excellent outline for actually testing and applying basic user interface design here

http://www.useit.com/alertbox/anybody-usability.html

If you have a budget, do it up right.

If you don't, rely on family and friends that fit your demographic.

Re: Stop Being an Idiot

#5

And this goes double for language designers!

I suppose so (hey, Lisp is The One True Way), but also don't expect your users to be super-human (i.e. garbage collection is best for many of not most problem domains).

Re: Stop Being an Idiot

#6
Nobody likes the unfamiliar.

Then why is your blog dim white letters on a black background?

The first thing my reptilian brain thought was that this was some kind of left-brained new-age artistic fluff. But it's not. You have important points to make.

So do your readers (and back button pushers) a favor and practice what you preach. Combine your artistic tendencies with a more familiar, more functional white background and reach more of us. You can do both.

Re: Stop Being an Idiot

#7
post #6

Nobody likes the unfamiliar. Then why is your blog dim white letters on a black background? The first thing my reptilian brain thought was that this was some kind of left-brained new-age artistic fluff. But it's not. You have important points to make. So do your readers (and back button pushers) a favor and practice what you preach. Combine your artistic tendencies with a more familiar, more functional white backgrou…

I'm teaching you that different interactions are ok. Unfamiliarity isn't wrong, it's just different. People get used to it, and often times prefer it. Consider my site your education on different contrast ratios. You did, after all, read the post.

Re: Stop Being an Idiot

#8
post #6

Nobody likes the unfamiliar. Then why is your blog dim white letters on a black background? The first thing my reptilian brain thought was that this was some kind of left-brained new-age artistic fluff. But it's not. You have important points to make. So do your readers (and back button pushers) a favor and practice what you preach. Combine your artistic tendencies with a more familiar, more functional white backgrou…

He's talking about web apps and you point out that he's not practicing what he preaches b/c his blog isn't on a white background?

I really wish comments a/b people's personal blog design preferences and the unreadability of said blog post wouldn't get voted up so often. Use Readability and talk a/b more important, less personal tastes/monitor resolution & brightness-related things instead.

Re: Stop Being an Idiot

#9
post #6

Nobody likes the unfamiliar. Then why is your blog dim white letters on a black background? The first thing my reptilian brain thought was that this was some kind of left-brained new-age artistic fluff. But it's not. You have important points to make. So do your readers (and back button pushers) a favor and practice what you preach. Combine your artistic tendencies with a more familiar, more functional white backgrou…

There is a difference between unfamiliar and unconventional. Text rendered in a white font, in a language I can recognize is familiar. Text written in Klingon, rendered in dingbats is unfamiliar. In my mind the designer _should_ be unconventional, while remaining familiar. Ever see a condo development? How boring are all the houses, lined up and all the same? I would hate the web to be the same way.

Re: Stop Being an Idiot

#10
post #6

Nobody likes the unfamiliar. Then why is your blog dim white letters on a black background? The first thing my reptilian brain thought was that this was some kind of left-brained new-age artistic fluff. But it's not. You have important points to make. So do your readers (and back button pushers) a favor and practice what you preach. Combine your artistic tendencies with a more familiar, more functional white backgrou…

I'm teaching you that different interactions are ok. Unfamiliarity isn't wrong, it's just different. People get used to it, and often times prefer it. Consider my site your education on different contrast ratios. You did, after all, read the post.

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