[IxDA Discuss] The biggest usability problem with Windows

[Peyush Agarwal]

Pauric,
Given your past posts, I can only think it's meant to be provocative. Consider me provoked :)

'Works as designed' does not equal 'not a usability bug'. Fundamental architectural design change or not, I don't think it can be argued that a 5 minute boot time is not a flaw. A necessary evil, at best. I mean, what users ever said in any user feedback session they preferred the 5 min wait? However, if the answer is - either a computer doesn't exist or you get one with 5 min wait, I hardly think that's a fair argument to make.

As a designer working with electronic products, I understand the existence of trade-offs, but as a user I think it's perfectly reasonable to ask for instant-on computers.

Asking why a 5 min wait is a usability bug is like asking what's the problem with a 5 min wait before your stove gets gas flowing everytime you decide to turn it on. It's only an irritant, right? Food isn't going to go bad in that time so what's the problem? The stove works fine as designed, no?

So if computer companies must think of it as an enhancement request, not a bug, fine. But I'm not ready to agree that an enhancement request can not simply be as critical as a bug.

-Peyush

-----Original Message-----
From: discuss-bounces at lists.interactiondesigners.com [mailto:discuss-bounces at lists.interactiondesigners.com] On Behalf Of pauric
Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2007 6:41 AM
To: discuss at ixda.org
Subject: Re: [IxDA Discuss] The biggest usability problem with Windows

fwiw Flash memory has a fixed lifespan, only so many read-writes, not
suitable for long term memory dumps.

The cause are dynamic link libraries in windows.  The more crap you
install on the machine, the slower the boot-up gets.

Its an architectural issue and no easy fix.

Unlike a long boot-up time on a camera causing the user to miss that
'moment', what is the critical 'usability' flaw in waiting for a
machine to boot-up?

Yes, its annoying/tedious but its not a -use-ability bug...

Slow websites, bug: yes.  The user can move on to another site due to
impatience.  Task not completed, therefor bug.  But its not like a
user will give up on XP booting after 5 minutes and head out to a mac
boutique.

I know this might be a somewhat controversial opinion on what makes a
bug.  However if you're going to get real and practical movement on
fixing bugs you have to show cause and immediate detrimental effect.


Especially if means making fundamental architectural design changes.
In my experience bugs severity is relative to the work needed to fix
them.

This is an enhancement request, not a bug (o;


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Posted from the improved ixda.org
http://beta.ixda.org/discuss?post=20084


________________________________________________________________
Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)!
To post to this list ....... discuss at ixda.org
List Guidelines ............ http://beta.ixda.org/guidelines
List Help .................. http://beta.ixda.org/help
Unsubscribe ................ http://beta.ixda.org/unsubscribe
Questions .................. list at ixda.org
Home ....................... http://beta.ixda.org