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From: Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com>
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Subject: Re: bart again (UCX64)
Date: Sun, 03 Sep 2023 12:22:35 -0700
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Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> writes:

> Ergonomics experts often design interfaces that I find hard to
> use.  To take one example, I want to use common key binding across
> applications, but the experts seem to think there is only one such
> set (and it comes from an OS I have not used for years), so I
> can't use the bindings my fingers "know" about.

I'm curious to know more about the specifics here.  What key
bindings, which "one set to rule them all", what domain of
applications followed that set?  Also I'm curious to know how
you know (or why you suspect) the choices were made by experts?
What abilities or skills qualify them as experts?

> There are probably a few UI experts who really do know how to
> design easy to use, powerful interfaces that suit a wide rage of
> users with differing expectations and experience, but most of them
> just know how to make easy tasks easy for the most commonly
> encountered users.

I am not an expert, but I have three pieces of advice for anyone
who wants to design a good user interface.

1. Get a copy of TOG on interface, and read it.  (And read it
   again later.)

2. Follow Bill Atkinson's UI precepts:
   * "The user has lost the manual"
   * "... and didn't have time to read it before losing it"

3. Avoid anything that looks like a product from Microsoft, where
   it seems like everyone thinks user interfaces should use the
   same ideas and techniques as are used in video games.