Definitely a good book. Got it right next to the original Nielsen book, the O'Reilly Information Architecture and Web Navigation books, and the Lynch and Horton Yale Web Style Guide. Add to that the book I am reading now (see post below).
I also have heard good things about the Tufte Books but haven't read them yet.
You are right on track. I know so many programmers who are great coders but when it comes to making a usable design they are helpless. What do you expect from guys who have been wearing the same ratty t-shirt and jeans for two weeks (not a stereotype - there really is a guy like that here).
The book I am reading right now - Designing Web Sites that Work - Usability for the Web by Tom brinck, et al. takes that approach. It talks about Requirement's analysis, Conceptual Design, Mock-ups, Production and then launch. It also emphasizes constant testing and customer involvement. Reminds me a lot of the stuff talked about in Extreme Programming.
I have been playing with using eggcream type colors for my background but there is nothing I like within the websafe palette. I think a soft beige keeps the contrast between the text and the background but eliminates the brightness of the white.
This is very true but for some reason I haven't seen that problem since we went to Windows (2 years now). I think its because on Mac you can install software by just dragging it from a network drive to a disk or remove it by dragging to the trash (at least that is how it worked through 8 - haven't used 9 or X).
Windows 2000 gives you all kinds of warnings when you go into the Program Files folder or the Winnt telling you to only use Add/Remove Program Control Panel. I know it won't stop people but I just don't see that problem as much.
I'm sorry. What I meant to state was that you had to go to 10 before going to 10.1 when already on 10.1.1. In other words it won't let you just install 10.1 upgrade over 10.1.1. This stuff is straight off the site.
At least that takes some effort to do. I know too many mac users who have accidentally dragged important stuff to the trash because someone told them they needed more memory (yes memory, not storage).
What do you expect from an OS that requires you to drag your disk to the trash to eject it. No usability issues there.
Thank you for finally bringing Microsoft into this conversation. At least Microsoft allows you to use an upgrade CD on a new system as long as you have an older version available. The only reason that this was an issue was because Apple required you to use the Full 10 cd and then upgrade to 10.1.
Well pretty much every book I've ever read tells you that Black text on white background is the easiest to read with the inverse a distant second. They all quote that studies have shown this to be true. I haven't read the actual studies though.
If you do use a black background make sure that your text is large. Small white text on a black background is nearly impossible to read.
You see him all the time too? I used to see him almost everyday near the Marriot on 7th ave. Like he would walk around hoping for people to recognize him.
Off topic - but considering NY is over 8 million people the crime rate is NOT high:
The FBI's UCR also shows that, among the eight cities with populations greater than one million surveyed by the FBI-Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonio, and San Diego-New York City continues to show the lowest crime rate. And among the 205 American cities with populations over 100,000, New York City ranks 160th in total crime.
Sorry - substitute Mid-West for south. Same difference. I am from a coast (good guess considering most of the population of the US lives on a coast) and I wish I was 18-20 again.
As for real friends - depends how you define it. If you mean people I would give my life for and who would give their life for me then probably 5 or 6. If you just mean people that I talk to and occasionally drink with then that can number many more. Sometimes you don't know who your real friends are until they are put to the test.
As for knowing everything - I KNOW I don't know everything which is why I question EVERYTHING. I take no explanation for granted. I stand by the old axiom - The more you learn, the less you know.
This has been even more evident in the last few months. I happen to live in NY (to further feed your stereo-type) and I heard EVERYBODY say HOLY SHIT when we watch the towers come down. Didn't seem vulgar at the time.
This will be my last post since I have so much SHIT to do and I want to get out of here at a reasonable time tonight.
You are right. I am in the minority. I find that the world is full of stupidity and ignorance.
The reality of my world is that people curse - at themselve, at each other, at nothing - and children are bound to hear it. Instead of focusing on the WORDS we should be focusing on the MEANING. If I call somebody a poo-poo face stinky head it is the same thing as calling them a shitfaced asshole.
On the other hand - if a kid says "mommy I have to go poo poo" it is also the same thing as saying "mommy I have to take a shit?" We have attached this fake "vulgar" meaning to the word shit. I hate to tell you though, Shit == Poo Poo.
I know that you probably are from the south and you have a different way of looking at things but don't presume to know reality. Stop being clouded by what your mother/priest/rabbi/politican is telling you is wrong and start looking at the world through your own eyes. Once you break free it is a wonderful minority to be in.
One is really just an explative with no harm intended. The other is a verbal assault on the other individual. And as for more vulgar tastes. If vulgar means being more realistic and less of a pansy then so be it.
What I am saying is that we do not properly define profanity. Is it bad if I say damn it, I fucked up? Of course not. But If I say damn you, you fucked up, that is completely different. We need to teach kids that words are not bad, the actions and the meaning of the words are bad.
That is exactly my point. It is not the words that are important but the meaning behind them. I think that this is what we need to teach children and not that a particular word is bad.
Should stay away from Fatbrain. They pulled a fast one on me. They showed one price on the website, same price on the receipt but my credit card was charged $5 more. I called them up and they said that the site miscalculated sales tax! I didn't bitch too much since the company picked up the tab but it was still a pretty nasty was of doing business. If your system f's up then you should pay not me.
Can I ask you something? Who cares about profanity. It has always seemed like the silliest issue. All they are are words that are abitrarily deemed wrong. If I say poopie I am fine but if I say shit then watch out. It's ok to "do the nasty" but not to fuck. I can say to a guy that he is the son of a female dog but god forbid I call him a son of a bitch. I can say bunghole but not asshole.
Now I can understand the religious zealots getting upset when God gets involved - like God Damn it or Jesus Fucking Christ - but would they be upset if I said may Shiva destroy your home and all of your children look like Ganeesh.
I like saying Italian curses even more because it pisses my landlord's mother off. It's a lot of fun to say vaffanculo and call her a puttana. My favorite German curse is Scheißekampft. But all of these words mean nothing in english (unless you translate them of course).
It isn't the words that we should care about but the meaning behind them. If I call you a giver of fellatio it should piss you off just as much as calling you a cocksucker.
Ok - I am tired and this is getting long. I have to go urinate because I can't take a piss on network TV.
The UK also doesn't have quite the population of ultra-conservative, religous fanatics that we have here in the US. Advertisers don't care about nudity one way or the other but they do care if a large percentage of their customer base starts boycotting.
Cable channels are restricted to some extent by the FCC. The reason networks are more tightly controlled is because they broadcast over public airwaves. As for the FCC controlling the networks:
a) The FCC won't step in unless someone complains. They don't watch and listen to every Radio and TV broadcast.
b) The FCC typically issues fines which are nothing compared to the Multi-million dollar deals that networks get from advertisers such as Nike, Gap, etc.
c) Each network has their own sponsors that determine what may be objectionable before anything airs.
HBO mostly has to worry about its suscribers. Of course, even HBO would have problems if they decided to broadcast Anal Penetration movies at 2pm on HBO Family.
I think the networks are hardly unfairly restricted. They have every right to go out and start a pay channel with all the nudity in the world. As long as they offer Free TV with advertising being their source of revenue they are going to have to follow the rules set forth essentially by the advertisors.
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Definitely a good book. Got it right next to the original Nielsen book, the O'Reilly Information Architecture and Web Navigation books, and the Lynch and Horton Yale Web Style Guide. Add to that the book I am reading now (see post below). I also have heard good things about the Tufte Books but haven't read them yet.
You are right on track. I know so many programmers who are great coders but when it comes to making a usable design they are helpless. What do you expect from guys who have been wearing the same ratty t-shirt and jeans for two weeks (not a stereotype - there really is a guy like that here).
The book I am reading right now - Designing Web Sites that Work - Usability for the Web by Tom brinck, et al. takes that approach. It talks about Requirement's analysis, Conceptual Design, Mock-ups, Production and then launch. It also emphasizes constant testing and customer involvement. Reminds me a lot of the stuff talked about in Extreme Programming.
I have been playing with using eggcream type colors for my background but there is nothing I like within the websafe palette. I think a soft beige keeps the contrast between the text and the background but eliminates the brightness of the white.
This is very true but for some reason I haven't seen that problem since we went to Windows (2 years now). I think its because on Mac you can install software by just dragging it from a network drive to a disk or remove it by dragging to the trash (at least that is how it worked through 8 - haven't used 9 or X). Windows 2000 gives you all kinds of warnings when you go into the Program Files folder or the Winnt telling you to only use Add/Remove Program Control Panel. I know it won't stop people but I just don't see that problem as much.
I'm sorry. What I meant to state was that you had to go to 10 before going to 10.1 when already on 10.1.1. In other words it won't let you just install 10.1 upgrade over 10.1.1. This stuff is straight off the site.
How does this compare with Apache's Tomcat (Jakarta) project?
At least that takes some effort to do. I know too many mac users who have accidentally dragged important stuff to the trash because someone told them they needed more memory (yes memory, not storage).
What do you expect from an OS that requires you to drag your disk to the trash to eject it. No usability issues there.
Thank you for finally bringing Microsoft into this conversation. At least Microsoft allows you to use an upgrade CD on a new system as long as you have an older version available. The only reason that this was an issue was because Apple required you to use the Full 10 cd and then upgrade to 10.1.
Well pretty much every book I've ever read tells you that Black text on white background is the easiest to read with the inverse a distant second. They all quote that studies have shown this to be true. I haven't read the actual studies though. If you do use a black background make sure that your text is large. Small white text on a black background is nearly impossible to read.
You see him all the time too? I used to see him almost everyday near the Marriot on 7th ave. Like he would walk around hoping for people to recognize him.
Off topic - but considering NY is over 8 million people the crime rate is NOT high: The FBI's UCR also shows that, among the eight cities with populations greater than one million surveyed by the FBI-Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonio, and San Diego-New York City continues to show the lowest crime rate. And among the 205 American cities with populations over 100,000, New York City ranks 160th in total crime.
Sorry - substitute Mid-West for south. Same difference. I am from a coast (good guess considering most of the population of the US lives on a coast) and I wish I was 18-20 again. As for real friends - depends how you define it. If you mean people I would give my life for and who would give their life for me then probably 5 or 6. If you just mean people that I talk to and occasionally drink with then that can number many more. Sometimes you don't know who your real friends are until they are put to the test. As for knowing everything - I KNOW I don't know everything which is why I question EVERYTHING. I take no explanation for granted. I stand by the old axiom - The more you learn, the less you know. This has been even more evident in the last few months. I happen to live in NY (to further feed your stereo-type) and I heard EVERYBODY say HOLY SHIT when we watch the towers come down. Didn't seem vulgar at the time. This will be my last post since I have so much SHIT to do and I want to get out of here at a reasonable time tonight.
You are right. I am in the minority. I find that the world is full of stupidity and ignorance.
The reality of my world is that people curse - at themselve, at each other, at nothing - and children are bound to hear it. Instead of focusing on the WORDS we should be focusing on the MEANING. If I call somebody a poo-poo face stinky head it is the same thing as calling them a shitfaced asshole.
On the other hand - if a kid says "mommy I have to go poo poo" it is also the same thing as saying "mommy I have to take a shit?" We have attached this fake "vulgar" meaning to the word shit. I hate to tell you though, Shit == Poo Poo.
I know that you probably are from the south and you have a different way of looking at things but don't presume to know reality. Stop being clouded by what your mother/priest/rabbi/politican is telling you is wrong and start looking at the world through your own eyes. Once you break free it is a wonderful minority to be in.
One is really just an explative with no harm intended. The other is a verbal assault on the other individual. And as for more vulgar tastes. If vulgar means being more realistic and less of a pansy then so be it.
What I am saying is that we do not properly define profanity. Is it bad if I say damn it, I fucked up? Of course not. But If I say damn you, you fucked up, that is completely different. We need to teach kids that words are not bad, the actions and the meaning of the words are bad.
That is exactly my point. It is not the words that are important but the meaning behind them. I think that this is what we need to teach children and not that a particular word is bad.
Should stay away from Fatbrain. They pulled a fast one on me. They showed one price on the website, same price on the receipt but my credit card was charged $5 more. I called them up and they said that the site miscalculated sales tax! I didn't bitch too much since the company picked up the tab but it was still a pretty nasty was of doing business. If your system f's up then you should pay not me.
Can I ask you something? Who cares about profanity. It has always seemed like the silliest issue. All they are are words that are abitrarily deemed wrong. If I say poopie I am fine but if I say shit then watch out. It's ok to "do the nasty" but not to fuck. I can say to a guy that he is the son of a female dog but god forbid I call him a son of a bitch. I can say bunghole but not asshole.
Now I can understand the religious zealots getting upset when God gets involved - like God Damn it or Jesus Fucking Christ - but would they be upset if I said may Shiva destroy your home and all of your children look like Ganeesh.
I like saying Italian curses even more because it pisses my landlord's mother off. It's a lot of fun to say vaffanculo and call her a puttana. My favorite German curse is Scheißekampft. But all of these words mean nothing in english (unless you translate them of course).
It isn't the words that we should care about but the meaning behind them. If I call you a giver of fellatio it should piss you off just as much as calling you a cocksucker.
Ok - I am tired and this is getting long. I have to go urinate because I can't take a piss on network TV.
The UK also doesn't have quite the population of ultra-conservative, religous fanatics that we have here in the US. Advertisers don't care about nudity one way or the other but they do care if a large percentage of their customer base starts boycotting.
Cable channels are restricted to some extent by the FCC. The reason networks are more tightly controlled is because they broadcast over public airwaves. As for the FCC controlling the networks: a) The FCC won't step in unless someone complains. They don't watch and listen to every Radio and TV broadcast. b) The FCC typically issues fines which are nothing compared to the Multi-million dollar deals that networks get from advertisers such as Nike, Gap, etc. c) Each network has their own sponsors that determine what may be objectionable before anything airs. HBO mostly has to worry about its suscribers. Of course, even HBO would have problems if they decided to broadcast Anal Penetration movies at 2pm on HBO Family.
I think the networks are hardly unfairly restricted. They have every right to go out and start a pay channel with all the nudity in the world. As long as they offer Free TV with advertising being their source of revenue they are going to have to follow the rules set forth essentially by the advertisors.
Imagine Larry Ellison running Microsoft. Now that is a nightmare vision.
I don't think Apple is going to go after Adobe anytime soon considering that Adobe, I believe, is the #1 developer for the mac platform.