Linked by Eugenia Loli-Queru on Tue 21st Nov 2006 18:05 UTC
In this article Joel talks about the number of choices in applications. "This highlights a style of software design shared by Microsoft and the open source movement, in both cases driven by a desire for consensus and for "Making Everybody Happy," but it's based on the misconceived notion that lots of choices make people happy, which we really need to rethink."
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Member since:
2006-11-22
First off before we can address the issue we should correct his count. Joel states:
"you have to choose between nine, count them, nine options: two icons and seven menu"
"there are also four FN+Key"
"there's an on-off button, 14, and you can close the lid, 15. A total of fifteen different ways to shut down a laptop"
No, there are 7 options (choices) and 15 ways to activate those choices. All the ways stated accomplish 7 things.
Having hot-key and mouse methods to activate common options is not unreasonable (try shutting down your machine if the mouse is not working without hot-keys).
The two questions that really need to be answered are:
1. Are all these options necessary?
2. Is the UI effective in its presentation of the options (are the number of options available in each input method reasonable)?
My feeling on number one is that each of the options is needed. Therefore, I do not consider there to be too many options (in this case).
I have not used Vista so I will only comment on the screenshot he shows in the article. It appears that the menu he shows is apparently visible(expanded) if the 2 "quick options" are not adequate. If you want to shutdown just click the shutdown icon (circle with a line through it) and don't expand the secondary menu. The menu is only there if you need more options.
It seems he is going out of his way to HAVE MORE OPTIONS and then complaining about too many options.