Saying that there is no single killer application that solves all problems is something of a moot point. However, many applications do form some common ground and if you observe some simple guidelines, then you can make your software easier to use. Many Windows applications use the 'File', 'Edit', 'View'... system on menus. That is a useful pattern, people know that 'File' deals with the loading and saving of files and by including that menu item in your item of software can speed up the user's learning curve.
Furthermore, if you've never written an application of type 'X', finding out how other similar applications functioned might help. Patterns can give you a more generic overview of types of system.
As for AI, I wouldn't equate Google with an AI system and to say so is just hype. It's not a universal answer machine because it does not generate meaning, it simply word parses the knowledge of humans stored on web pages. Furthermore, I think any AI researcher would complain at the amount of noise still present in Google's system. As clever as it is, it's not the closest thing we've created to intelligence.
The review is great. I completely agree, the new DM handbook is a good piece of work and will definitely cut down the start-up time for the casual or time-limited GM.
Slashdot Mirror
Saying that there is no single killer application that solves all problems is something of a moot point. However, many applications do form some common ground and if you observe some simple guidelines, then you can make your software easier to use. Many Windows applications use the 'File', 'Edit', 'View'... system on menus. That is a useful pattern, people know that 'File' deals with the loading and saving of files and by including that menu item in your item of software can speed up the user's learning curve. Furthermore, if you've never written an application of type 'X', finding out how other similar applications functioned might help. Patterns can give you a more generic overview of types of system. As for AI, I wouldn't equate Google with an AI system and to say so is just hype. It's not a universal answer machine because it does not generate meaning, it simply word parses the knowledge of humans stored on web pages. Furthermore, I think any AI researcher would complain at the amount of noise still present in Google's system. As clever as it is, it's not the closest thing we've created to intelligence.
The word 'like' is not a punctuation mark.
The review is great. I completely agree, the new DM handbook is a good piece of work and will definitely cut down the start-up time for the casual or time-limited GM.