[Usability][ot] Rant.

[Sunnanvind Fenderson <sunnanvind fenderson com>]

I don't want to see a future where users/followers are in control of a
technically arcane elite. The path from non-user to user to
contributer to developer should be smooth. There's currently a
threshold at every step and possibly there always will be, but they
should be as small as possible.

For the first transition, non-user to user, to be possible, simplicity
is a good thing and this should be (and is) a big priority in
usability. Simplicity helps every user, even the most die-hard geek,
so it's a good thing all aronud. That's why I joined this list, I
posted a few suggestions to desktop-hackers or something and was
pointed here, by Calum.

Sometimes the simplification has detrimental effects - like not having
workspaces on, by default, which has the ill effect of users losing a
feature. Sometimes the detrimental effects are smaller than the gains
- users can switch this on when they find out about it, and they won't
risk getting confused by switching to another workspace by mistake.

When the detrimental effects of simplification are bigger than the
gains, however, then the simplification is not really simplification
or improving usability.

I've argued that this might or mightn't be the case with
widgets. Here's how I feel about it.

The bad things about not using the word: it harshens the experience as
a user by not giving them a clear way to think about widgets. I guess
I just can speak for my self and say that my experience improved after
learning the word.

Also, but this is not within the scope of this list at all, it amkes
the threshold from a user to contributer bigger. Now, not every user
will want to be a contributer, but many do. You may think what you
want about this threshold, some might have reasons to keep this
threshold as large as possible while others think like me, or don't
care either way.

What are the gains from not using the word "widget"?

I can't see any big gains. Less terminology? But "controls" is
terminology as well, and in some people's opinion, more difficult to
grasp. Similarity to other environments? But the word widget is used
there as well iirc, albeit informally.

Now. This is a minor issue, I have no say about it. I've not conducted
major surveys about which word should be used. I'm not going to argue
about this until the end of the world.

I just wanted you to know where I'm coming from.

Usability books are useful, but free software's a slighly different
phenomena in this regard. (Warning, car analogy:) Traditional
usability is about improving the driving experience of the car,
including making it easy to learn. The problem we face is building a
car that's got the best driving experience but with an easy-to-open
hood so the engine can be improved. This mustn't lessen the driving
experience - it's no good if the hood is so easy to open that it flaps
open and covers the windscreen while your driving - but bolting the
hood down and wielding it together is not a good solution.

Oh, that car analogy sucked, I'm so sorry. Just keep doing your
business and ignore this rant. I only care very little about widgets
vs controls, and I would welcome a solution that used neither word.