Choices = Headaches

[psi29a]

http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2006/11/21.html

I'm sure there's a whole team of UI designers, programmers, and testers who worked very hard on the OFF button in Windows Vista, but seriously, is this the best you could come up with?

Image of the menu in Windows Vista for turning off the computer

Every time you want to leave your computer, you have to choose between nine, count them, nine options: two icons and seven menu items. The two icons, I think, are shortcuts to menu items. I'm guessing the lock icon does the same thing as the lock menu item, but I'm not sure which menu item the on/off icon corresponds to.



...


Inevitably, you are going to think of a long list of intelligent, defensible reasons why each of these options is absolutely, positively essential. Don't bother. I know. Each additional choice makes complete sense until you find yourself explaining to your uncle that he has to choose between 15 different ways to turn off a laptop.

This highlights a style of software design shared by Microsoft and the open source movement, in both cases driven by a desire for consensus and for "Making Everybody Happy," but it's based on the misconceived notion that lots of choices make people happy, which we really need to rethink.

This is an example of windows vista, and while I don't typically like Joel's rants, this is one I happen to agree on as a software developer as far as usability is concerned.

Do you agree that more choices = more headaches?

[Gundam_Bobcat]

I would have to agree.

The less I have to think about when using an OS the better.

Also I don't like taking that chance of pushing the wrong choice and then having to re-do everything I just did.

[Starlore]

1)It's Windows which we all know has the gross side effect of exploding vessels in the brain, aneurysm & chronic migraines from exposure alone.

2)It's Windows...

3)KISS...Keep It Simple Shitards! Which Microsoft of course, doesn't.


Windows Vista=Headaches

Absolutely.

[psi29a]

I've tried Win Vista RC1 (ultimate), and found it frustrating to use. You know there is a problem when it takes you longer to shutdown a computer in vista then it would take you to simply type 'shutdown' in a console.

From what I saw and used it for (2 days worth of testing), there was nothing that would convince me to move from winXP to Vista, nor from my Linux desktop at work to Vista.

I get all the eye-candy that vista has, on a geforce2mx card in linux thanks to XGL and Beryl, and it sucks less and runs faster.

However, that is all vista ranting... but come on, it is overly complicated. As starlore said, KISS. This applies to ALL OSes.

[Wandering_Mystic]

In general the more choices humans have, the harder it is for most of them to move forward and pick one without at least some stress, if nothing worse. In marketing, the more choices a consumer has after a point, the less likely they are to buy said item. The same applies here, I think, and I agree with everyone here that things really need to be simpler, not more complicated.

[Sortep]

I would say the option to have less or more would be optimal.... when i install linux on a machine... i usually spend an hour customizing it exactly as i want it... not a bad thing.. i prefer control over taking what you get... however i think there should be a flag to whether or not the system shouldbe in power user mode so to speak... mac is plagued with the opposite issue in that their ui is extremely simple yet... that's it.. period.. unless you install a different gui... who knows.. it's not like pat volkerding can design every software out there... then againi'm just a nobody..

[psi29a]

There are power users, but even they get tired of having to drill down through everything and there gets a point where to have every option available will cost you more time in choosing the 'right' option to fit your need.

This a user interface design choice. When dealing with UI, you want the 'most' used features up front and easily accessible with the least used features still there but in hiding. Vista tried to do that with the 'logout' stuff.

Here is the problem, a LOT of those options shouldn't even be there because they cascade. You hit logout, it should sense if someone else logged in or not... after 30 seconds of inacivity it 'sleeps', if it doesn't get used in an hour, it 'hibernates'. Why give 3 options, when 1 will do just fine.

This makes more green sense to, in that if you are not using the computer... then why should it even be on? This saves you in the bills and the life-span of the computer. Long gone are the days where it was more problematic to turn it off than to leave it on 24/7.

[LordMune]

period..

You can't fool me.

That's two periods right there.

[Eldo]

For me, some of the options are the same. 'Log off' has kind of the same function as 'Switch User', 'Lock' or 'Sleep' is essentially the same as or 'Hibernate'.

Windows used to pride itself with being user friendly. I'm not quite sure it's achieving that standard now. If I was to explain to my folks how to use it, one of the questions they're ask is what option they should choose from a long lists of commands. Quite frustrating to use if you want to go for simple options.

The list of commands are like the poll options we have at this forum.

[MrFelony]

the choices dont really bother me because when i do shut down my computer, i know what im going to choose. it's not like im going to sit there all day debating whether to hibernate it or shut it down because if im going to hibernate it, i'd just let it sit idle. i havent used it so i dont really know if it is that complicated, but it sounds like you're nit picking. that and the different choices like lock, log off user, etc are usefull if you live with people who like to prank your comp or multiple users for the comp. honestly i think yall just hating on windows

[Eldo]

the choices dont really bother me because when i do shut down my computer, i know what im going to choose. it's not like im going to sit there all day debating whether to hibernate it or shut it down because if im going to hibernate it, i'd just let it sit idle. i havent used it so i dont really know if it is that complicated, but it sounds like you're nit picking. that and the different choices like lock, log off user, etc are usefull if you live with people who like to prank your comp or multiple users for the comp. honestly i think yall just hating on windows

It's not about nitpicking, it's about the ease of functionality, but the purpose seems to degenerate if there are long lists of commands and such that lead to the inevitable function. I can only guess that this is only one of many other options from certain menus and such. Is it really necessary to have a long list of commands that do the same thing? A user only wants to use a command that performs one function, not many options accompanying it.

I'm not arguing that such the functions like log off or whatever are stupid, but most of them give the desired result. If you want to prevent other people from accessing your account, why have different commands for it (log off/switch user/lock etc)? And if you have people who prank your computer, they're dickheads.

Finally, I don't hate Windows, but I don't like it. It's kind of a love/hate relationship. I know people who say they hate Windows hard core, but they're still using their PCs or laptops while their Macs are sitting around collecting dust. I won't be accused of hating it because I pointed out some flaws, and I won't accuse people of taking it up the arse by Windows if they defend it.

[Nomimono]

Interesting talk on the problem of choice, and especially the explosion of choice we experience today:

http://www.itconversations.com/shows/detail252.html

By the author of 'The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less', which I bought after listening to the talk, and which I can really recommend.


As you adequately put, the problem is choice.
-The Architect (Matrix Reloaded)

[halfnhalf]

Windows key and L

alt+F4


those are all i use. HAH who would have thought to turn off a computer you would have to go to start first.

[EnglishJim]

Choices...If we're talking strictly Windows Vista then I'd say choices=headaches.

I really can't see the need for all those different options. The only ones that I use are Shut Down and Restart (for updates). Log off is good for multiple users and that's it. The rest can burn .

[Ayanami]

I don't see what the hell is the big deal here. For those who are not all that great with a comp, they can just use that power button instead of using the menu.

[Khelegond]

Each passing year, Windows get more retard-friendly. Is it just me your you get pissed with this too? I'm tired of my computer giving me stupid 'hints' to stuff.

It's like those 'help files' for...I don't know, printers...first answer:

'It's your printer on?'

For me this is pretty stupid, but it probably solves 50% of the problems...

*sigh*

Good, old DOS 3.3 times

[Artezul]

My head hurts..

[Sortep]

dos 3.3!!!!!!!!!!!!!
those were the days, automenu, putting all the drivers you could into upper memory, and configuring the hell out of emm386 until your system was purrring along