Missing Home Button in KFD

Matthias Elter m_elter at t-online.de
Mon Jul 22 18:20:30 BST 2002


On Monday 22 July 2002 19:00, Thomas Zander wrote:
> > The question is if "something" is a direct user action or some kind of
> > automatic or delayed action, like a timer event.
>
> Hi Matthias. that question is a technical explanation of the concept of
> automatic. While it is automatic in the programmers sense, I don't think it
> fits the thought pattern a user will have. A user will anticipate what
> happens when he does an action. If things happen which he will not directly
> associate with the action it is perceived as automatic.
>
> Or in other words; Pressing a button makes an action work. If next to that
> action something else is done, that means it is done automaticly.

Ok, perhaps we disagree on the correct definiton of "automatic" but I think 
what matters is "instant reaction". From a users view something happens 
automatically when it is not an instant reaction on a user action. In other 
words: When I click a button and see changes I will think of them as a direct 
result of my action if they happen instantaneous.

Anything that happens at some random point of time for no apparent reason (and 
therefore can not easily be connected to an action or event) is confusing. 
This is not the case for the home button problem.

Greetings,
Matthias





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