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What the Digerati Know
INFO/CSE100, Fall 2006Fluency in Information Technology
http://courses.washington.edu/info100/
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Questions from last class
• Podcast in iTunes
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Readings and References
• Reading– Fluency with Information Technology
»Chapter 2, What the Digerati Know
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• How do we learn to use new tools?– Be taught their use by someone else
-- car, bicycle, etc…– Reading the owner’s manual -- chain
saw– Passive Observance -- vending
machine– Figure them out ourselves -- CD
player
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Quick Software Learning
• Software designers want you to learn ASAP
• How? : They try for “intuitive” usage– Consistent Interfaces -- build in
experience– Suggestive icons and Metaphors --
bypass terminology
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Intuitive
Design?
Could you do better?
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Consistent Interfaces
• Cars– What would you do if they were all
different?
• Software– Functions look like another– Software programs looks like
eachother– Re-Use ideas - what others have done
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Consistent InterfacesMost modern applications File and
Edit menus with standard commands
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Same, but on a Mac
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Consistent Interfaces
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Computers use Metaphors
• Some familiar computer metaphors– Desktop (folders, inboxes, etc…)– Tree (root, branches, leaves)– Stoplights red = stop or error
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Dance Dance Revolution
What makes it easy to use?
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MenusWhat does “New” Mean?
• Most applications have the concept of a document with:– Attributes: date created, date modified,
creator, …– Content: image, text, sound
• “New” means create a ‘blank instance’ of a document for this application– A document has attributes as well as content
» All stored in one file with a place for anything» A ‘blank instance’ is simply the structure with some
of the attributes filled in but without any of the content
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“Click Around”
• Software designers use standard ideas to make applications intuitive
• To learn a new application, check it out by clicking around– Take a minute to familiarize…
»Look under all menus to see operations»Follow the “…” for menu operations»Try to recognize what the icons mean
• Clicking around is Exploration! :)
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Lets “Click Around” with Audacity
• Audacity– 1st - What does it do:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
– 2nd - Lets see if we can learn by “clicking around”
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“Blazing Away”
• Learn an application fast by trying it!
• Beginning with a new instance, assertively try menu items– Expect to fail and make a mess– Exit the application and if you are
asked to “Save?” reply “No”– Don’t be afraid of “breaking it”– Try repeatedly until becoming familiar
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What does BBEdit Do?
• All I know is it is a text editor…• Lets learn more by “blazing away”
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What else can I do to learn?
• Some times programs are intuitive– Easily teach yourself the application– Do so by familiarizing with features
by “Clicking Around”– Assertively try out the features:
»“Blaze Away” observing what they do»Be efficient -- stay focused, don’t type a
lot when you expect to exit
• What now, help?
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• The help menu is very handy
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
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• Ask questions interactively
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
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Online Tutorials• Where do they come from?
– Expert organizations– Online Magazines
• Different Formats– Interactive tools– Step by step examples
• Often used as references– Might support a user community - example
UW Computing Thunderbird
• Things to consider:– Are they up-to-date?– Are they selling something?
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Example Online Tutorials
• Skype Tutorial (3rd Party)– http://www.laptopmag.com/Features/
Skype-Made-Easy.htm
• Skype Online Help (Application Vendor)– http://www.skype.com/help/guides
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Dummies Books
• http://www.dummies.com/• Similar Format
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Differences & Similarities of Applications
• Different vendors - similar software - same task– Superficially - GUIs use similar features may look
different– Fundamentally - task largely determines how
the software must work… they must be similar
• Implications– If you know one word processor, you can learn
others fast– Software differences: mostly glitz and
convenience– Don’t accept lousy tools, consider switching to
other applications
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browsers• Camino
• Safari
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Another Implication
• Similar applications means quicker learning– Possibilities:
»Web Browsers - verified!»Word Processors / Text Editors?»Operating Systems?»Programming languages?
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Mac or PC???
• Arguments about which is better, Mac or PC create only create heat, no light– They are more alike than different– Any fluent person can use both
• I first bought a Mac Desktop, then a PC Desktop, then an IBM Laptop, and now this MacBookPro– And “afew other” computers in between
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Questions
• Open, New, Close, and Save can usually be found in the ______ menu
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Questions
• The online manual can usually be found in the ______ menu.
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Questions
• Name an advantage of a consistent interface from the consumer’s view?
• From the developers view?
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Summarizing• Humans must learn to use tools
– Software designers want you to learn easily» Good software uses consistent interfaces and menus
• Teach yourself applications by “Clicking Around” and “Blazing Away”– I don’t know all the features, you don’t know all
the features, and that’s okay!
• Software for a task must share core features
• Learn applications independent of vendors
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Homework 2
• Print out homework 2• You will have to complete some
tasks on 2 different computer systems (Mac, Windows, or Linux)– How will you ever learn?
• Due in class on Friday, Oct 6th