Subject:
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Web: Design vs. Use (was Re: LEGO Inspired Fonts For Macintosh And Windows)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.geek
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Date:
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Fri, 18 May 2001 13:26:43 GMT
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Viewed:
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287 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.geek, Jake McKee writes:
> In lugnet.general, Matthew Gerber writes:
> > In lugnet.general, Johannes Keukelaar writes:
>
> > > <pet-peeve>
> > > Please leave the size of my browser window alone! I'll determine how
> > > large I want the window to be. That is a very _rude_ bit of
> > > javascript.
> > > </pet-peeve>
>
> > When I ran across this JavaScript, I thought "Hey! Now THAT'S useful!". So I
> > used it. And so far, I'm happy with the results *as a designer*. Now, as
> > users, what do others think? Well, that's why I wrote this little rant. What
> > do YOU think?
>
> (OK, you asked!)
>
> Ah, but as someone creating web pages, you aren't JUST a designer, you are a
> usability/interaction _creator_. The web is not a tangible medium as print
> is. Yes, you are right, in print, the designer chooses the sizing of the
> presentation, but _only_ because picking a single size is a requirement. In
> print, there is only one way any one on earth can look at something. They
> have no _ability_ to change anything. On a computer, however, the users is
> capable of changing just about everything in some way to better fit their
> needs and preferences.
>
> Requiring users of a web site to conform to a designers personal design
> choices is not only silly, it strikes a blow against the very things that
> make the Web different (not better, not worse, just different) than print or
> any other medium.
If that were the case, there would still be nothing but monospaced text on
the Internet. Why Java, Shockwave, Flash, DHTML, etc., but to give the
designer even MORE tools to put forth the message/image/etc. that they
desire? Just like any other medium, the end user has a choice to participate
or not. In your statement, the entire reason of the web for self-expression
is right out the window.
Excerpts from http://www.dictionary.com/cgi-bin/dict.pl?term=design:
de·sign
To conceive or fashion in the mind; invent
To plan out in systematic, usually graphic form
To have as a goal or purpose; intend.
To create or execute in an artistic or highly skilled manner.
This is MY content, for me to set forth as I see fit, right? If I believe I
have created a pleasant, useable site, good for me!
> Initally setting the site the way the designer would
> _prefer_ it to look is fine...so long as you don't lock the user into that
> choice.
This particular JavaScript only sizes the window upon it opening. After
that, the user can do whatever they please. Not that I mean to limit this
discussion to this script alone, but to clarify where the point started-Matt
<snip>
>
> We have to take a completely fresh, and completely user focused approach to
> doing web development in order to create truly great sites. Of course, we
> can't completely drop decades of learning about advertising, sales, buying
> habits, merchandising, etc. But we do have to create content based on what
> is good for the user, not the designer. Without the user (read: consumer),
> we have nothing.
Funny, if the world was all users with nothing to use, extinction wouldn't
be too far away. In this case (again, don't pin the entire thread on this
point) I had fonts that I REALLY wanted to share with everyone on LUGNET. I
created a page, and made it the way I wanted others to see it. My perogative
to do so. The users aren't overly affected by my change (Heck, I could have
done that shaking window thing, or made their cursor balloon up...I didn't),
they just see MY CONTENT the way I INTENDED it to be viewed. Is that such a
bad thing? Opinions will vary. Oh well...no skin off my nose.
I can think of more to say, but I'll save it for later on and spread it out...
Matt
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Message has 1 Reply:
Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: LEGO Inspired Fonts For Macintosh And Windows
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| (...) (OK, you asked!) Ah, but as someone creating web pages, you aren't JUST a designer, you are a usability/interaction _creator_. The web is not a tangible medium as print is. Yes, you are right, in print, the designer chooses the sizing of the (...) (23 years ago, 18-May-01, to lugnet.off-topic.geek)
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