280 likes | 399 Views
Morlocks and Eloi at the Keyboard. ATS 315. Metaphors in GUIs. Made it easy to work with complicated ideas. Forced simplifications, assumptions, biases, etc. on us. Metaphors Gone Wild. “Save”. Metaphors Gone Wild. “Save”. Metaphors Gone Wild. “Save”
E N D
Metaphors in GUIs • Made it easy to work with complicated ideas. • Forced simplifications, assumptions, biases, etc. on us.
Metaphors Gone Wild • “Save”
Metaphors Gone Wild • “Save”
Metaphors Gone Wild • “Save” • What happens to the “old version” of the file?
Metaphors Gone Wild • “Save” • What happens to the “old version” of the file? • “Destroy”
Metaphors Gone Wild • “Open” • “Print” • “Help” • Icons • Desktop
Interfaces • Make the invention easy… • Make the invention useful… • Talk about the “interface” for an internal combustion engine: • Clutch, brake, accelerator, etc.
Interfaces • Reflect the technology of the times: • Clutches, brake pedals, etc. • Airplane controls • VCR Controls
Appliance Interfaces • Why is it okay to learn so few features on my microwave? • Why do the manufacturers keep adding more and more features to microwaves?
Cellphone Operating Systems • Symbian • A version of Unix • You can tell that there are folders/directories • You can get compilers, etc. • No command line interface (reminds me of a Macintosh!)
Cellphone Operating Systems • Why is the GUI for Symbian adequate?
Simple Interfaces for Simple Tasks • Making a call • Making popcorn • Recording “24”
Simple Interfaces for Complex Tasks • Where we run into problems.
Metaphor Shear • Upgraded to a different version of Word • Couldn’t read his old files anymore Metaphor about staying at the hotel
What was the “metaphor shear”? • He pictured his documents symbolically-- • Quasipermanent • Ideas were more than the sum of the letters of the alphabet • …but they were just binary bits on a magnetic plate… • …without the right decoder, they were nothing!
“bit rot” • Nothing was wrong with the files… • …there just wasn’t any code for reading them anymore! • A BIG problem in meteorology!