A really good article on software usability

[Les]

On Fri, 2007-01-05 at 13:26 -0600, Les Mikesell wrote:
snip
> Software is often designed to be attractive to first-time users and
> perhaps has to be, but once you have learned it's tricks and it has
> learned your preferences it should adapt to stay more out of the way.

Hi, Les,
	I have written some adaptive software.  It is very difficult, and not
rewarding, because however it adapts, the users will say "But that is
not what I wanted!", and you can even have the history to prove that
their actions were that way each and every time that they used the
software, yet it missed expectations.  That is the very definition of
misset expectations and customer disillusionment.  
	
	I suggest that you write a piece of user adaptive software, and check
out how it is done, then let us all know your results. My personal
results were very disappointing, and frustrating on both my self and the
user forced to work with me to attempt to rectify the situation.  The
solution in the end was to provide a system of defaults and default
selections controlled by a script file which neither of us was totally
happy with, but both of us agreed that it met the requirements of
meeting expectations, being adaptable to use and simple to change
behaviours.  YMMV.

Regards,
Les H