Easy-to-use vs. Powerful (Score 2)

There's a common misunderstanding that making software easy-to-use means making it less powerful. Many people talk about having to "dumb-down" linux in order to make it usable by the masses. This simply isn't true.

In the HCI field, there's a strategy for designing user interfaces known as "progressive disclosure." This design strategy presents a simple and limited set of options and actions to the user in the first "layer" of the user interface. As the user becomes more familiar and comfortable with the software, more features and options reveal themselves (possibly including a command-line). A really well-designed UI can support both the novice user and the expert. Progressive disclosure works much like a good teacher does; the basics first, then the intermediate to hard stuff when the student's ready to handle it. Designing UIs isn't about making pretty icons; it's about constructing a meaningful dialogue between the computer and the user.

If we truly want to raise the technological intelligence of the world population, then I believe this is the best approach. On the other hand, if we want to keep powerful technology in the hands of the techno-elite, then we can continue to toss new users into a CLI ocean of device drivers and kernal patches while smugly watching them drown.

Dustin Beltram
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