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Programmers to Blame for Hard-to-Use Software PDF Print E-mail
David Platt, author of "Why Software Sucks ... And What You Can Do About It," blames the annoying elements of today's most popular programs on programmers who value control at the expense of usability. Some of his biggest pet-peeves are the message boxes that pop up to tell a user that their attempt to perform a function has failed, and gives them no choice but to click "OK." Platt says, "No, it is not OK with me that this operation didn't work and the program can't explain why." Platt says that even though developers prefer control over every aspect of an application, users only want an application that is simple to use. Complexity leads to problems, according to Platt, who notes that instructions for using more complex features "increase the possibility of crashing errors and security vulnerabilities in the same way as more moving parts on any mechanical device render it less reliable." Platt urges users to contact software companies with any concerns, and plans on forming a group called "It Just Works" that will congratulate good programming and call out the bad. The Software & Information Industry Association's David Thomas says that problems in many applications are a result of customers, especially big corporations or overly vocal people, requesting too many features. "You don't want your customers to design your product," he says. "They're really bad at it." He thinks Internet-based software will benefit customers because vendors will monitor their use and tweak the product to best fit their needs.
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