A strange request

["Karl O . Pinc" <kop meme com>]

I present here an idea that's so bad it could be good.  Ta-Da!

I think gnome should try to win top billing in The Interface Hall of Shame,
"http://www.iarchitect.com/mshame.htm";.  

Let's face it, there are two types of interfaces, those that are designed
to be usable, and those that are designed to sell product.  Why can't gnome
have _two_ faces, one good and one evil, and excel at both?  Yes, I know
it's heresy, but many people _like_ the *boing* *boing* flashy-chrome "You
have mail!" interface. 

There's nothing wrong with attracting users!  The quick-cut MTV-style video
is a terrible way to watch dance, but people prefer it to the old wide
movie pans of Fred Astaire.  People are drawn to noise, flash, and glitz. 
Like moths to a flame, it doesn't matter if their needs are met, today's
consumer expects to be entertained.  So long as it's simple and easy to
switch to the interface that's actually usable, this is not bad.  (I'll say
it again like I mean it this time.  This is not bad.  There.  I said it.)

This would not have to be a simple marketing ploy.  Programmers could have
fun.  (How 'bout a dancing gnome fairy that flys about and points out
useful stuff.  Exploding icons!  (On launch icon splits and one detaches
from panel and explodes, stops exploding when the application has fully
initialized and is ready for user input.  How's that for feedback?  By
mainpulating the explosion one could shutdown a process that hangs on
initialization.)  Lightening!  :-)  Think of it as a testbed in a
psychiatric ward.  Maybe something wacky will turn out to be useful.

Regards,

Karl <kop meme com>