RE: Request for list links in left side navbar (Attn: CGF)

[Ronald Landheer-Cieslak <ronald at landheer dot com>]

On Fri, 4 Jul 2003, Hannu E K Nevalainen (garbage mail) wrote:
> > From: cygwin-owner@cygwin.com [mailto:cygwin-owner@cygwin.com]On Behalf
> > Of Ronald Landheer-Cieslak
> >
> > On Thu, 3 Jul 2003, Christopher Faylor wrote:
> > > 2) You may notice that I point to the mailing list page rather
> > >    than specifically to the cygwin mailing list in other cases also.
> > >    This is for the same vain mean hope that someone will read some
> >                               ^^^^^^
> > >    of the info there before posting.
> 
> > I see nothing mean in hoping - infact, it's kinda opposite to "mean" to
> > hope people will read and learn something. The fact that that hope is
> > largely in vain makes it more "cute" than "mean"..
> >
> > It would have been mean if you removed the text and, later, said "you
> > should have read what was on the site a year ago!"
> >
> > Sorry, but I don't thing the WJM approach works in this case..
> > WJR(*), perhaps?
> >
> > rlc
> >
> > WJR: We're Just Right[eous]
> 
> My (Humble?) Opinion, $0.02 or whatever:
> 
>  Sigh ;-) it *is* mean to *not* take the user to exactly the point
> he/she is expecting when following a link. i.e. WJM applies ;-)
> 
>  In other words: This might be slightly "counter productive"; causing
> _confusion_ where there really shouldn't be any of it.
>  - Confusion causes questions
>     -> questions causes (unnecessary?) traffic on the list.
>  - Confusion at one occasion
>     -> Less probable that same user tries to look/search at the same place
>        again
So in fact, this is some kind of subtle meanness, which actually is 
counter-productive for the meanny (as confusion causes extra traffic 
on the list) and for the user (as it takes him longer to find the
answer he's looking for because he didn't go where he wanted to in 
the first place).

Interesting.. but not quite convincing: the user will actually get 
the information he's looking for more easily, and because of cgf's
message will be able to bookmark the page he's going to as well,
decreasing mail traffic and speeding up future queries on the part
of the user.

Unless, of course, the mere fact that the user is confused during 
the process of his education is a sign of meanness on the part of
his educators (in this case, cgf), I can't see the meanness here...

> MODE=Argument for an "ease of use" attitude
>  I think there is similarities between web-pages and user interfaces (UI's).
>  If a UI would do the 'same' as is indicated above, the software in question
> would be
>  at least 'less popular' amongst its users.
> /MODE
Hmm.. once learned, the way to find information becomes easier because
you're confronted with the way to find information immediatly - and 
flamed ruthlessly if you make the slightest mistake..

The flaming might be mean, though..

> Good(?) rules for creating documentation:
>  - Be as direct as possible.
Currently, the user is being helped with asking the right questions in the 
right place - seems OK.

>  - 'Hide' details until they are needed.
No problem here..

>  - Avoid confusion.
If the user gets to the right list by following the indications, this is 
OK - if he doesn't read, it's his own fault..

>  - Make it _easy_ to find the right information.
.. by telling the user where to look - OK.

Nope - I still don't see this as mean..

;)

rlc



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