Interface Readings

Our newest topic in Eng480 is interface. Basically, interface is a point where things connect (Interface, User Interface). In class and in the readings, we're focusing on how people connect to technology, specifically computers.

Well, the Anti-Mac Interface article certainly was a doozey. I'm not sure if I was just really tired or if it is really boring, but I had trouble keeping up with it. I think it makes excellent points about how computer interfaces haven't really changed, and I understand we might be missing out on opportunities to do things a better way, but the way things are going now seems pretty easy and well-run to me. It talked about how the new generation (people my age I guess) will be taught to use computers to do office work more than the traditional work in a real office, and how things like folders and desktops and trash cans won't be nessasary or relevant to the work we do. Which is true-when I hear the words desktop, folders, and sometimes even trash can or recycle bin, I think of aspects of my computer-not things in my room.

Just the other day, my roomie told me she had a paper she wanted me to proofread and it was on my desktop. I assumed she had saved the paper to my computer, but it turned out she had seriously printed out the paper and put it on my desk. This lead to a heated discussion on whether or not people still call the top of a desk a desktop, or if it's now just a term for the stuff you see on your computer screen. I know I never call the top of my desk a desktop-but anyway, my point is that maybe the article is right in saying the old school office terms and forms aren't relavent to the new generation, but I think the old terms have just taken on new meanings and I think they work pretty well. Sometimes I have trouble thinking outside the box, but I can't really imagine an easier or better way to organize a computer-I know how to find things through folders and the desktop and the menu. It seems natural and I think I would have a hard time adjusting to new interfaces.

The article talked about how stability in interfaces isn't really nessasary once people have a general idea of how things work-that stability is boring and interfaces should be changed often to keep people's interest. I can see the point, but I think I disagree with it. I love stability-and it helps me get things done in a more comfortable way, if not an exciting way. If I left my computer and came back and saw that someone had moved all my desktop items, that my folders had been saved on different drives, and all my favorite websites had rearranged their formats and tabs, I would definately NOT be excited. Yes, I could easily figure out where everything was and how it worked, but I don't think I would like it-I guess I don't really understand the benefits of "shared control in user interfaces". I like having control of my interfaces-I guess I'm just wondering-what would some of the benefits be of having other people change them without my knowledge or consent?

Anyway, I kind of feel like I'm rambling about this article, but I guess I'm just trying to make sense of it. We were asked if the article is relevant for today and I don't really know the answer to that. I can see where computer interfaces haven't really changed a great deal, but I think some of the problems from interfaces have been patched up-for example, it talks about how you used to have to empty the entire trash can to get rid of one program, but now you can go in the trash can and delete specific items. It talks about all these problems that are caused because there's not enough space on floppy disks, but with USB drives that's not really a problem anymore. A lot of the problems associated with using old interfaces listed in the article don't really seem to be problems to me-at least not problems that effect me in my personal computer-using life.

Anyway, those are my thoughts on interface for now.