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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Fri, 14 Jan 2000 22:42:11 GMT
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Viewed:
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370 times
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In lugnet.admin.general, Richard Franks writes:
> In lugnet.admin.general, Allan Bedford writes:
>
> > I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but I just think that URL's should,
> > essentially, be meaningless and transparent. URL's are not what makes the
> > web a great device. Hotlinks are what makes it so that anyone can use it;
> > regardless of their knowledge of computers, files, directory structures
> > etc.
>
> I agree that hotlinks are important for *all* users, but I also think having a
> well-designed URL structure is important for other types of users.
>
> Can't it provide hotlinks AND good design without sacrificing either? I dunno
Yes.
I think an important thing to remember is that a site should cater to as many
segments of its audience as possible. The paradigm here is not that of your
typical website. While I agree that one should be able to navigate to
everywhere, and Allan's(1) point that if we find missing links, links should be
added, is valid... we need to cater both to the navigator and the power user.
I am a power user, I know my way around and I am in a tearing hurry. Following
links from the front, even when it is 2 or only 1, is slower than powering
directly into the page I want. I don't keep huge bookmark lists, it's faster
just to know exactly where I am going.
There are newbies, not newbies to the net, but newbies to Lugnet, who think the
way I do. Power users hate it if you make them do extra keystrokes (hence why
my initial message came off as abrupt... I was saving keystrokes).
Lastly, many sites are organised as TREES. You start at the front and click
your way in, or back track, or maybe go to the top and start over.
But we don't call it the world wide FOREST, we call it the world wide WEB. A
web is more than just hierarchical interconnects. A heavily used site like this
one needs to offer more than hierarchy. It needs quick ways from anywhere to
anywhere, or at least from anywhere to a node that's close to where you might
want to go... we need more buttons along the top to take us various places, we
need vigilance on links that exist on various pages, and... we need redirect
pages to train power users. Those redirect pages are not and cannot be static.
Stuff changes. So will they.
I'm beating a dead horse. I do that. But human factors and good website design
is an interest of mine, and making systems easier to use is a part of being a
good architect. So Allan pushed a hot button when he said I was wrong. I'm
never wrong because I don't make misteaks. Just ask me, I'll be happy to
tell you all about it.
1 - sorry for leaving an L out before...
++Lar
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