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Is There Such a Thing as "Too User Friendly"?

Posted by Cliff on from the that-depends-on-the-user dept.

rtphokie asks: "The story about the TiVo get-together along with some recent trials and tribulations rolling out a knowledge base along with the time I've spent recently helping my 80 year old grandfather with this VCR and TV has gotten me thinking about user interfaces and the elusive "user-friendly" label. When someone who thinks of themselves as 'non computer savvy' works with a gadget like TiVo and compains that it's 'too complicated', how should we react? Why are users immediately forgiven for not even taking the least amount of effort to look for a solution to their confusion in the manual. The tendency has always been to blame the interface and ultimately the engineers who designed it but isn't there a point where users have got to share some of the blame? Why do today's software and consumer electronics users expect to be able to fire up their new toy and magically have a complete understanding of how to use it?"

5 of 627 comments (clear)

  1. First Post by balloonhead · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    I haven't even read the title yet - just trying to get the first post...

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    This idea was invented by Shampoo.
    1. Re:First Post by SpatchMonkey · · Score: 0, Offtopic
      • Congrats! You may enjoy this movie. Check it out!
      Thanks, that's quite an interesting film. Like the nasty car crash at the side of the road, I just can't stop looking at it.
  2. Too User Friendly? by commodoresloat · · Score: 2, Offtopic

    No, but there is a such thing as too much User Friendly. How many hours have I wasted reading cartoons that 1% of the population would even understand, much less think amusing....

  3. Re:Mute topic QWZX by dustinc20 · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    I love people who are anal about spelling and grammar. heaven forbid people discuss the topic on the board

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    :: if you outlaw outlaws, only the.. no wait
  4. I like it when ASIANS FUCK MY CAMEL! by Asdfghanistan · · Score: -1, Offtopic

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    That attempts to create a `new morality' or a `new man' are thus not only futile but destructive

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    That attempts to create a `new morality' or a `new man' are thus not only futile but destructive

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    Do it all Night, IN THE GHETTO