When
· Naughties
· · 2003
· · · November
· · · · 03 (2 entries)
The “Richer” Interface · On more than a few occasions—most recently in the context of Avalon—I’ve observed here that both IT admins and end-users prefer browser-based apps to traditional compiled clients, for everything except content creation. Every time, I get emails and incoming pointers from people saying “You just don’t get it, the Web interfaces are so tired, we really need a richer UI paradigm.” The interesting thing is that these reactions are always—every time, without exception—from developers. Not once has an end-user type person written in saying they wished they could have a richer interface like the kind they used to have in compiled desktop apps. I work for a company that sells a damn snappy, highly interactive user interface that’s entirely in and of the browser (and BTW is very standards-compliant); so it can be done. I have all sorts of theories about whose interests are being served by these efforts to take us back to the client/server era, but I know for sure that it’s not about making users happy. Nor the IT staff either.
Great Rant from Ole Eichhorn · Check it out. There’s way too much here to summarize, and there are bits you could quibble with, but Ole is obviously a smart guy and every word is worth reading. For a real surprise, read the little sequence near the bottom about Don Box’s questions for the audience. Like Ole says “There is no magic bullet.”
