Saturday, February 14, 2009

The Goats in the Machine

Dontcha hate an interface that doesn't do what you think it will do?

Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. I have created an interface that matches the design of the data, but not the use to the user.

Or an interface that wants too much: after thoughtfully picking and choosing the contacts I want to add to LinkedIn, and sending invitations, I find myself at the same page, with all the remaining contacts now selected (the ones that I very specifically and purposely did NOT select).

My programming brethren, I implore you, don't do that! Let's all promise to make sense from now on. There is a difference between "idiot-proofing" an application and writing a program exclusively for idiots.

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