Does anyone know when 3.4 was first introduced? How about when the Workplace (3.11) was introduced?
There's a lack of credibility when people talk about 3.4 as an example of using new features. As to panels that pop up to tell me about new features, I find them to be rather annoying. If they tell only about the changes since the last release, they are of little value. How many of us migrate to every new release? If they go back to far, there is too much repetition. The time for me to effectively learn new features is not when I begin using the tool for a particular purpose. I need to explore the tool when I have a little more free time. Maybe it's just me.... On Thu, 18 May 2006 16:12:56 +0000, Dave Salt <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >>In <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, on 05/15/2006 >> at 08:49 PM, Dave Salt <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> said: >> >> >My experience is that 90% of programmers use the upgraded ISPF/PDF >> >interface almost immediately after the new option is added to their >> >ISPF menu. The other 10% eventually come around, just as they >> >eventually came around to using ISPF option 3.4. Human nature is >> >such that if a tool is not only far more powerful than whatever they >> >were using before, but is also far easier to use, inertia is quickly >> >overcome. > >>From: "Shmuel Metz (Seymour J.)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>That's not my experience; I've seen all too many programmers ignoring >>useful ISPF enhancements for many releases. In some cases they will >>try them once they see[1] me using them, but in other cases they won't >>because it's not what they're used to. >> > >I think that's the key; the user has to 'see' the new command/feature/option >in order to use it. For example, along comes a new release of ISPF with a >wonderful new command that can be used in edit called 'COMPARE'. However, >where does the user have to go to know this new command is available? Most >users don't read tutorials or new versions of the ISPF manuals. So, unless >they get training (Steve: your comments go here...) or they see someone else >use the command or they see the command 'advertised' somewhere on one of the >panels they go to, the new command is simply ignored. However, if you add a >new option to an ISPF menu (e.g. just as 3.4 was once added), curiosity will >eventually get the better of most people, and eventually they'll go in and >take a look. > >Most ISPF panels work on the premise that people will read the manuals or go >into tutorials or pull down the drop down menus. In my experience, just like >yours, this isn't the case. Options and commands have to be clearly visible >or at least presented, otherwise most people will never know they exist. >Some people think it's impossible to display every command or option on a >panel, because each panel has limited space. However, where there's a will >there's usually a way. For example, using the edit COMPARE command I just >mentioned, it would obviously be impractical to permanently list the command >at the top of the edit panel. So, in a situation like this, an alternative >might be to do something like this: > >1) When someone goes into an edit session under a new ISPF release for the >very first time, a message could be displayed saying "The following new >commands are available...". > >2) When someone goes into ISPF option 3.12 for the very first time, a >message could be displayed saying "Did you know you can compare 2 files from >within an edit session? Here's how..." > >These suggestions are not 'bullet proof' and there will always be people who >ignore messages and just don't want to learn. But for the majority of >people, I think if you SHOW them something is available and they think it >might be useful, they will want to try it. > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
