http://www.davidlouisedelman.com/science-fiction/building-the-perfect-user-interface-part-1/ Science Fiction Novelist, Blogger, Web Programmer Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:35:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 http://www.davidlouisedelman.com/science-fiction/building-the-perfect-user-interface-part-1/#comment-1647 ElaraSophia Fri, 01 Feb 2008 10:09:26 +0000 http://www.davidlouisedelman.com/uncategorized/building-the-perfect-user-interface-part-1/#comment-1647 I was thinking about the difference between designing a method of handling a tool to accomplish a task -- for example, designing a sword handle, or a medical scalpel, or a telescope -- and designing a user interface. I think a valid origin for the concept of user interface could be when we first started trying to make machines that could think. Having the equivalent of a brain outside our own and needing to give it direct instructions on <i>how</i> to think. Thinking about it like that, then the first example I think would be Charles Babbage's analytical engine. I was thinking about the difference between designing a method of handling a tool to accomplish a task — for example, designing a sword handle, or a medical scalpel, or a telescope — and designing a user interface. I think a valid origin for the concept of user interface could be when we first started trying to make machines that could think. Having the equivalent of a brain outside our own and needing to give it direct instructions on how to think. Thinking about it like that, then the first example I think would be Charles Babbage’s analytical engine.

]]> http://www.davidlouisedelman.com/science-fiction/building-the-perfect-user-interface-part-1/#comment-1654 David Louis Edelman Thu, 31 Jan 2008 23:35:52 +0000 http://www.davidlouisedelman.com/uncategorized/building-the-perfect-user-interface-part-1/#comment-1654 Good point. Perhaps the typewriter manufacturers were the first usability experts...? Good point. Perhaps the typewriter manufacturers were the first usability experts…?

]]> http://www.davidlouisedelman.com/science-fiction/building-the-perfect-user-interface-part-1/#comment-1648 dr_mandrake Thu, 31 Jan 2008 21:54:15 +0000 http://www.davidlouisedelman.com/uncategorized/building-the-perfect-user-interface-part-1/#comment-1648 Interesting stuff - I look forward to more of these posts :) As for the science of user-interfaces, I think it's older than you suppose. I'm thinking specifically of typewriters. Maybe you can easily discern the physical link between the key and the head, but people spent a long time determining the best way to lay out the keys, and that was back in the 1860s. Just rambling, but food for thought maybe... Interesting stuff - I look forward to more of these posts As for the science of user-interfaces, I think it’s older than you suppose. I’m thinking specifically of typewriters. Maybe you can easily discern the physical link between the key and the head, but people spent a long time determining the best way to lay out the keys, and that was back in the 1860s. Just rambling, but food for thought maybe…

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