[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread] 

List:       kde-look
Subject:    Re: Usability and open source
From:       "Steven D'Aprano" <dippy () mikka ! net ! au>
Date:       2000-02-02 13:43:33
[Download RAW message or body]

Tomas Furmonavicius wrote:
> 
> On Mon, Jan 31, 2000 at 11:58:13AM -0500, Tyler Regas wrote:
> 
> > Apple determined while making updates to the MacOS over the years 
> > that people will memorize positions in the first stage menu for 
> > common operations as opposed to actually scanning for words. 
> > Clear, colorful icons were also determined to make said 
> > memorization easier and quicker.
> 
> Apple designed GUI for cave-men ;-). But computer users are not 
> these prehistoric creatures with low forehead and nut sized brain 
> (hope this doesn't sound _too_ offensive, just in case some 
> cave-man reads this list ;-) ). What is easier to understand - a 
> picture of some hairy creature with big stone in the hand chasing 
> the bison, o single word (preferably in high contrast color palette 
> and easy to read font) - "hunter" ? :-)

Ugg. Me ignert caveman with brane size of walnut, 2 dum to compile
linucks cernal or hack obscurated perl code, but even dum caveman like
me noes the difrence between using icons as an *aid to memorization* and
trying to rely *entirely* on pictorial icons.

In other words, *text menus plus icons* is better than text only menus,
which is better (much better) than icons only.

The human brain has a highly developed visual sense. It is extremely
good at recognising graphical images and relatively poor at recognising
words. It takes between six and twelve years of extensive schooling for
the brain to become well-trained at recognising words without having to
put them together letter-by-letter. In comparison, babies can recognise
faces almost as soon as they open their eyes.

100 million years of evolution makes us good at recognising pictures.
*Use* that fact, don't fight it.


-- 
Steven D'Aprano

[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread]