Subject:
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Re: Specific problem: finding members - general conclusion: principle of least surprise needed on Lugnet
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.admin.general
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Date:
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Thu, 13 Jan 2000 03:25:55 GMT
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Viewed:
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552 times
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Hi Larry,
I don't normally like to disagree with fellow LUGNETer's, and I certainly
don't want to start an arugument over this, but I do find myself drawn to
respond to your curious comments.
I doubt that it was your intention, but your comments certainly came off a
bit abrupt. (Remembering that email/newsgroup posts have no emotion)
Larry Pieniazek <lar@voyager.net> wrote in article
<Fo935K.2s4@lugnet.com>...
> This link:
>
> http://www.lugnet.com/members
>
> **ought** to work. It's an obvious thing to try. I could probably rattle • off
> another 1/2 dozen links that would be obvious things to try which don't • do
> anything useful but should.
As a person who has spent way too many hours on the web over the last few
years I'm not sure why you claim that this link *ought* to work. I almost
never find myself trying to guess the directory/URL structure of someone
else's website.
Would you (or anyone else) be able to guess that the most recent model I
added to the Expert Builder website can be found under the following URL:
http://www.execulink.com/~apotome/archives/m0014.htm
Why is the most current model already in a directory called 'archives'? It
doesn't matter. The model can easily be found from the main page of my
site, which is the only URL that I normally publish. (Which itself is not
easy to guess, so the point is made again)
Now if the information/page that you are looking for is not easily
accessible from the main page of any site, then that is most certainly a
problem that needs to be addressed.
> I would claim that some set of folks ought to brainstorm up a bunch of • these,
> and then create pages for them. It's fine if those pages are just a • redirect
> link and nothing else, but good web design demands it.
Further to the point made above, I would propose that good web design ONLY
demands that information be as close to the front page as possible. One or
two clicks but no more than that if possible.
> Try this:
> http://quotes.yahoo.com/
>
> to see what I mean. Yahoo understands the principle of least surprise. • That is
> not a valid link but it's a natural one to try, so they put something
there.
Again, I'm confused. I'm not sure why this is a "natural one to try".
When I looked at it in your posting, I supposed that you were looking for
'quotes', such as, "To be or not to be." But Yahoo supposed that you were
looking for financial information, because that link returns the following
response [edited for brevity]:
The URL ``http://quotes.yahoo.com'' is not a valid Yahoo! URL.
You probably want the following URL: http://finance.yahoo.com
So Yahoo guessed that you were looking for something that you may not have
been looking for. Yet another reason for not spending time guessing URL
compositions. Why not start at http://www.yahoo.com and click on the
'Business and Economy' category? Yahoo made themselves a bundle of money
by sticking religiously to this simply yet highly effective drill down
method of finding pages.
(And BTW, if you *did* want quotes from the famous and infamous, there is a
link directly off the main page, under the category of Reference.... no URL
guessing required)
> I just looked all over the front page, then went to the site map, to try • to
> find out what the link to see members of lugnet is. Can't find it easily.
I do agree with you here, but maybe we could *gently* suggest to Todd that
he add a link directly off the front page when he has time. I know he's a
busy fellow.
> Now, having been here a while I know I can run a search of the proper • newsgroup
> and find where Todd posted some links. • (http://www.lugnet.com/people/?n=392)
> But would a newbie know?
They wouldn't have to if the link were right on the main page, which is
where you and I seem to agree it might be best utilized.
> How to figure out what is commonly tried? I ain't a webhead but does the • server
> keep a log of 404s? that might be a place to look for good stabs...
Ah, who needs the techie stuff? :) Why not just post a message in the
appropriate newsgroup and ask people what they want? Although as I write
that I am thinking that Todd does often post questions about the structure
of LUGNET. In fact I think a great deal of time and effort went into such
things as the newsgroup naming conventions.
I would never presume to speak on Todd's behalf (as he wouldn't speak on
mine) but I'm gonna take a guess that the fact there isn't a link from the
main page to the members section is simply something that Todd hasn't
gotten around to yet. Or maybe it's just that no one's suggested it until
you brought it to our attention.
If that is indeed the case, I'm sure he'll eventually add a link to:
http://www.lugnet.com/people/members/
Why is it in that form? I'm not sure. And I don't worry about it. So
long as we can eventually find it easily from the main page, that all that
counts.
Larry, I hope you take these comments in the way in which they were
intended - friendly debate.
Best regards,
Allan
--
Expert Builder Website - The Megaproject Showcase
http://www.execulink.com/~apotome/expert.htm
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