Comments on: Elsewhere… http://chucker.me/2007/01/22/elsewhere%e2%80%a6.entry A hamster in love, and the pursuit of usability Sun, 04 Oct 2009 20:01:32 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: chucker http://chucker.me/2007/01/22/elsewhere%e2%80%a6.entry/comment-page-1#comment-59823 chucker Wed, 24 Jan 2007 03:23:38 +0000 http://chucker.mystfans.com/2007/01/22/elsewhere%e2%80%a6.entry#comment-59823 <p><cite>Fafnir</cite>, it's nothing new that asking users what they want is generally a bad idea. That may sound arrogant, but study after study finds that, invariably, users have very little understand of what truly would make their day-to-day life easier. Thus, a contest like MyDreamApp is doomed to be little but a way for its participants (both "staff" and "submitters") to be a chance for self-aggrandizing. "Look at me, I have hip ideas"; "guess what, I even approve of them!"</p> <p>MyDreamApp also hugely suffered from a vast misunderstanding on users' part of what is actually <em>possible</em>, perhaps evidenced best by the proposed forum client. Oh, you say, all forum software acts completely differently? There's no API whatsoever, let alone a common one? You have to parse HTML, which can differ almost completely from skin to skin? Never mind that, it'll <em>somehow</em> work anyway! It would have been funny to see that app make it to the final three just to see the staff's reaction on what to do when people evidently want an app that hardly even could be done in a million years.</p> <p>WriteRoom doesn't fit in that category. It looks at a real problem: with all the perks the Internet brings, it also greatly increases our distractions. You've got mail, you've got an instant message, and hey, you totally don't care right now, but there's also three software updates waiting for you. MegaZoomer somewhat fixes that on a global level, yes, but what's wrong with writing an app specifically tweaked to do this for writers?</p> <p>Unlike MyDreamApp, WriteRoom was not just clearly desired by many people (as shown by its success); it was also, unlike MyDreamApp, very reasonable to develop (as shown by its existence and somewhat fast-paced development) and not <em>too</em> out there as an idea.</p> <p>It is indeed valid to criticize emerging application categories. But this post of Mark's has little of that; it goes far more in the direction of "I have no need for this; therefore, nobody else does either".</p> Fafnir, it’s nothing new that asking users what they want is generally a bad idea. That may sound arrogant, but study after study finds that, invariably, users have very little understand of what truly would make their day-to-day life easier. Thus, a contest like MyDreamApp is doomed to be little but a way for its participants (both “staff” and “submitters”) to be a chance for self-aggrandizing. “Look at me, I have hip ideas”; “guess what, I even approve of them!”

MyDreamApp also hugely suffered from a vast misunderstanding on users’ part of what is actually possible, perhaps evidenced best by the proposed forum client. Oh, you say, all forum software acts completely differently? There’s no API whatsoever, let alone a common one? You have to parse HTML, which can differ almost completely from skin to skin? Never mind that, it’ll somehow work anyway! It would have been funny to see that app make it to the final three just to see the staff’s reaction on what to do when people evidently want an app that hardly even could be done in a million years.

WriteRoom doesn’t fit in that category. It looks at a real problem: with all the perks the Internet brings, it also greatly increases our distractions. You’ve got mail, you’ve got an instant message, and hey, you totally don’t care right now, but there’s also three software updates waiting for you. MegaZoomer somewhat fixes that on a global level, yes, but what’s wrong with writing an app specifically tweaked to do this for writers?

Unlike MyDreamApp, WriteRoom was not just clearly desired by many people (as shown by its success); it was also, unlike MyDreamApp, very reasonable to develop (as shown by its existence and somewhat fast-paced development) and not too out there as an idea.

It is indeed valid to criticize emerging application categories. But this post of Mark’s has little of that; it goes far more in the direction of “I have no need for this; therefore, nobody else does either”.

]]> By: Fafnir http://chucker.me/2007/01/22/elsewhere%e2%80%a6.entry/comment-page-1#comment-59810 Fafnir Wed, 24 Jan 2007 00:59:35 +0000 http://chucker.mystfans.com/2007/01/22/elsewhere%e2%80%a6.entry#comment-59810 <p>I think it is valid to criticise a whole categorie of apps. </p> <p>Take for example Disco and the shiny function-follows-form design of many new shareware Apps:</p> <p>http://www.rogueamoeba.com/utm/posts/Article/DeliciousGeneration-2006-11-06-10-00</p> <p>Or this mydreamapp contest. Boy that sucked big time... Such talent! Such creativity! Such innovative, fresh new ideas! And what won? A Wallpaper-Changer, a sync-App and a Cookbook-manager. </p> <p>A Cookbook-Manager! Who needs this? Only hopeless nerds would use a laptop in the kitchen for cooking. And they would just order a pizza in the first place. And if I search for a recipe I just google for it, no need for a stand alone app.</p> <p>http://mydreamapp.com/news/post/377/</p> I think it is valid to criticise a whole categorie of apps.

Take for example Disco and the shiny function-follows-form design of many new shareware Apps:

http://www.rogueamoeba.com/utm/posts/Article/DeliciousGeneration-2006-11-06-10-00

Or this mydreamapp contest. Boy that sucked big time… Such talent! Such creativity! Such innovative, fresh new ideas! And what won? A Wallpaper-Changer, a sync-App and a Cookbook-manager.

A Cookbook-Manager! Who needs this? Only hopeless nerds would use a laptop in the kitchen for cooking. And they would just order a pizza in the first place. And if I search for a recipe I just google for it, no need for a stand alone app.

http://mydreamapp.com/news/post/377/

]]> By: chucker http://chucker.me/2007/01/22/elsewhere%e2%80%a6.entry/comment-page-1#comment-59655 chucker Mon, 22 Jan 2007 23:40:15 +0000 http://chucker.mystfans.com/2007/01/22/elsewhere%e2%80%a6.entry#comment-59655 <p>As usual, Gruber prefers not to offend friends.</p> As usual, Gruber prefers not to offend friends.

]]> By: moiety http://chucker.me/2007/01/22/elsewhere%e2%80%a6.entry/comment-page-1#comment-59636 moiety Mon, 22 Jan 2007 22:08:12 +0000 http://chucker.mystfans.com/2007/01/22/elsewhere%e2%80%a6.entry#comment-59636 <p>Gruber thinks Mark has a valid point.</p> <p>...is Gruber wrong? :o</p> Gruber thinks Mark has a valid point.

…is Gruber wrong? :o

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