framers Digest, Vol 64, Issue 4

[Davis, Jessica D.]

On Stuart's rant, I want to add my distaste for the whole pod thing.
Not only has it taken me a long time to find a view (or whatever they
call it) that doesn't get in my way, there are some awful bugs in the
pods.  Try deleting multiple variables or multiple conditions.  After
you delete one, the next one in the list appears to be selected, but
it's not.  Some other variable further down the list may actually be
deleted.  And if you delete too many, Frame crashes.  (BTW-the
work-around for both of these problems is to click in the body of the
document between each deletion.) And this not just me, we have several
writers working on the project who complained about this problem. Also,
I hate how easy it is to accidentally collapse a catalog.  Then to
reopen it, you have expand it and drag it out of the pod.  I just find
the whole interface clunky and cumbersome and taking up too much screen
real estate.  


---------------------------------------------

<rant>

Bang on, Mike.  I'm also addressing this message to Kapil Verma, who was
recently introduced as FM's product manager.  The low-contrast,
monochrome GUI in FM 9 is not just butt-ugly, it's HARD TO USE.  It GETS
IN THE WAY. It PREVENTS ME FROM EASILY ACHIEVING MY GOALS.

There may be a valid argument for low-contrast grey interfaces in
programs like Illustrator and Photoshop, where the user's perception of
colours in the working document could be adversely influenced by colours
and contrasts in the GUI.  But FM is NOT a graphics design program.  The
precaution of eliminating colour and contrast in the GUI, if that's what
it is, is misplaced, unjustified, and highly counterproductive.

Or if it's a marketing decision, originating in the "imperative" that
Adobe products must all look the same to protect "the brand," remember
that Henry Ford's user-defying mantra, "Any customer can have a car
painted any color that he wants so long as it is black" has been
discredited as a marketing strategy for an awfully long time.

I strongly recommend, Kapil, that you call together the graphic
designers (and marketing "branders") who have obviously had overwhelming
influence on this GUI, thank them for their efforts, and politely show
them the door.  Then get some USER INTERACTION experts and USABILITY
experts on board and set them to undoing the damage that the
artsy/marketsy folks have inflicted.

The world (of technical writing) would be a better place.

</rant>

Thanks,
Jess