This week’s readings focused on the use of visual objects and design considerations, and how they are used to enhance the usability and effectiveness of any product or document. Instructor Blog #5 relates the importance of design to the success (or lack thereof, as the counter argument states) of Apple. I was a Windows user for years, and thought Macs were inferior machines for novice users wrapped in flashy gimmicks and irritating commercials. About a year ago I started getting a lot of software issues (viruses probably) and hardware problems with my PC, so I decided to upgrade to a new machine with Vista, and returned it within a week. I absolutely despised the layout; the visual layering thing ate up a huge chuck of memory and made the system perpetually sluggish, and document organization was complex and annoying. I decided to suck it up and give Mac a shot, considering that, amidst all the negative connotations I had about the brand, no one I knew who actually owned one had anything bad to say about it. After the initial 20-minute culture shock, I was 100% sold. The intuitive layout and functionality of virtually all aspects of the system made it easier to use and customize. It seemed that the Mac “knew” what I was trying to do, and helped me get it done.
Connecting to the readings, I believe Mac’s greatest advantage (as it relates to design) is that the desktop acts like an actual desktop, rather than just a place to open up different windows. Say, for example, you were to create an engineering document with pictures, specs, and technical drawings. You can choose to have Word, Photoshop, Vectoworks, and Firefox all working in the same place: your desktop (and you can have separate desktops running concurrently for separate projects). Navigating between applications is seamless, because the layout allows them to behave as if they were different parts of one single all-encompassing program. Compare to Windows, where each application has its own separate hierarchy of sub-windows, and each program operates in an independent environment (i.e. if you have multiple documents open in Photoshop, they are all active and reside within the overall “Photoshop” window). Applications are distinctively separate. To me, navigating through different programs and sharing between them with the Window’s layout is a tedious task; and, like a poorly designed set of instructions, can discourage, frustrate, and confuse the user.
You can get the job done with either platform. As far as computing goes, there really isn’t much of a difference between the capabilities of the two. But it’s the user-based considerations Apple made to the design and layout that make getting work done easier and more efficient. This attitude can be applied directly to the Instructions project. Thinking about how your users will read and navigate through your instructions should weigh heavily in your layout and design.
The Apple in the Window
I totally agree on what you are saying about the Apple computers. I absolutely despised Apple computers mostly because people were saying they were better than the computers I have been using for over ten years. One day I was in a lab at Purdue and all the normal computers were taken and I have to log onto an Apple computer. After a couple minutes I realized they are great computers. Not only do they seem faster and have fewer problems, the overall design and layout of the desktop is great. I heard that most interior designers have Apple for the graphics and I totally understand this now.
OK, but apply this to our project
This is an interesting comment, but ultimately we want to turn our readings to the work we are doing in class. You seem to be getting to this point in the final two sentences, but you want to articulate specifics about how the traits you identify in Apple help us in the context of our project.
Comfort Zones
I liked how you mentioned that using your Mac was initially a culture shock. I think this a big part of why a lot of people don’t really don’t care for Macs, myself included. A lot of people are scared of change and getting used to something different puts people out of their comfort zone. For me, I can do everything I want with a PC, and don’t care to take the time to learn a new system or spend the money (maybe the prices have come down). Apple has definitely done a good job distinguishing itself and showing what it can do differently than a PC, but I think they would get even more users if they spent time showing people it can do everything they are used to doing to. Making the readers of our instruction feel comfortable will be key, most of them will not want to weather a culture shock.
Macs are Better?
Over the years I have noticed that Macs can be better at somethings. When it comes down to straight up performance Macs usually succeed in that department. Even though Macs perform better that PCs you generally have to pay the big bucks to get that performance or any Mac at that. One problem that I have with Macs is exactly what someone mentioned before me, comfort zones. I have been brought up PC so it is difficult for me to transfer over to a different system. Lastly, playing games. Macs don't have very many games. Even though you can do some work and install windows on a Mac, this can prove to be difficult and not also be the cure to ones problems.