On Wed, 3 May 2000 08:28:42 -0700, Steve Lamb wrote:
8<
> The problem is "improvement" into realms where other programs already have
> a foothold may not be an improvement. Some people say with TB! because it
> isn't like those products. If people want those paradigms they already have
> it, why ask for it /again/ in this product?
Well, it's uncommon that one will find a complex application that does
things exactly the way that they want. I'm quite sure that many who have
purchased and use TB! have left another e-mail solution which may have, in
their opinion, handled a few things in a better way. If one person asks
for these 'pearls' to be added to TB!, it doesn't amount to the legion of
requests when many do this. Bowing to all is impractical.
It doesn't take long before one realises that unless one writes his/her
own application, one will never use a complex application out there that
will do things exactly the way one wants. Developing the willingness to
make concessions and getting used to the paradigm that most approximates
your needs is essential. Other developer helpers to help ease this problem
is offering configuration options and other means of offering flexibility.
This however needs to be balanced against the bloat and propensity for
bugs when too many features and options are added to completely satisfy
the userbase.
There is another approach which the windows world rarely adapts and that's
the modular approach, ie, to provide hooks for non-specific functionality
of the application. Examples are hooks for an external editor, an external
browser and an external image viewer. This modularity reduces redundant
coding and allows the user to use his specialist apps for when that
specialist need arises, no matter which application demands that
functionality at a particular point. It avoids forcing the user to get
used to another applications idiosyncrasies and ways of doing things.
Since this modularity is not well developed in Windows applications in
general, one can well understand user appeals for changes to what they are
accustomed to or prefer.
--
© 2000 Allie Martin /*\ Using TB! v1.42 Beta/20 on Win2k Pro
---
Urghm! - "Any fool can criticize, condemn, & complain. And most do. "
--
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