26 Jun
2004
26 Jun
'04
1:09 p.m.
At Sat, 26 Jun 2004 01:41:17 +0100,
Dave Griffiths wrote:
"I HAVE to understand everything about an interface in 5 SECONDS!"
attitude to gui design. People can learn things, it's part of
playing music on real instruments - why can't it be part of playing
computer instruments?
I simply don't believe in making things arbitrarily difficult, so long
as the thing in question is a tool. This mentality is actually
reflected in real instruments; they are as simple as possible, but no
simpler (i.e., to the point of removing functionality). There's isn't
any benefit to be had by putting the pedals on the backside of the
piano.
I further believe that this school of thought actually enables the
creation of more unique music than otherwise. A guitar is, from a
usability point of view, self explanatory. After a few minutes of
fooling around, you'll understand how it works (you'll still suck,
however). After a few *years* of fooling around, you'll discover
two-handed tapping. Similarly, a software instrument designed with an
intuitive UI will make it easier for the user to put things together
in unexpected and intriguing ways, since mental resources aren't being
diverted to rudimentary actions that could be made trivial.
-Pete