Subscribe to the WebWord.com Usability
Newsletter!
ISSUE #11
Date: Mar 17 1999 05:22:26 GMT
From: WebWord.com Usability Newsletter <WebWord-owner@listbot.com>
Subject: WebWord.com Newsletter #11
==================================================
WebWord.com Newsletter
"Usability & the Internet"
==================================================
List Owner
John S. Rhodes
John@WebWord.com
..................................................
March 16, 1999 Newsletter #11
..................................................
Table of Contents
1. Interaction Design: The Guru Speaks
2. Web Usability and NetObjects Fusion
3. Usability Resource: CHI-Web Discussion List
4. Book of Interest
5. Requesting Your Help
6. Tech-head and Geek Links
7. Usability Snapshot: Fun Stuff By Email
8. Coming Soon!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
ITEM #1
A New Expert Interview is Now Online:
<http://webword.com/interviews/cooper.html>
Interaction Design: The Guru Speaks
Alan Cooper is a very well known expert on
interface design and software usability. In this
interview he describes several interesting
usability principles such as "software needs
to be spanked" and "less is more". He also talks
about some of the books he has written, and his
role in the development of Visual Basic (he is
known in many circles as the "Father of Visual
Basic"). This is required reading if you create
software.
Note: BANNER FREE for ultra fast downloading.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
ITEM #2
A New Expert Interview is Now Online:
<http://webword.com/interviews/willharris.html>
Web Usability and NetObjects Fusion
Daniel Will-Harris is a seasoned veteran of Web
development. He has been building Web sites for a
long time and he has used many development tools.
After years of blood, sweat, and tears, he has
found a program--NetObjects Fusion--that helps
him build Web sites painlessly. His Web site,
aptly named eFuse, is totally centered around
helping people build better Web sites using
NetObjects Fusion. Daniel answers many questions
about the usability of the software itself, and the
Web sites that are created using the software.
Note: I cannot endorse or recommend NetObjects
Fusion since I have not used it to any
great extent. However, Daniel has some
very convincing reasons to at least consider
this Web development tool.
Note: BANNER FREE for ultra fast downloading.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
ITEM #3
Usability Resource: CHI-Web Discussion List
<http://www.acm.org/sigchi/web/chi-web.html>
"CHI-Web is an ACM SIGCHI open discussion list on
human factors aspects of the World Wide Web."
I will note that this list is for folks that
are very *serious* about Web usability. If you
choose to subscribe, be sure to be very
professional. I would recommend "lurking" for
some time before you jump in.
Visit the CHI-Web archives if you'd like to take
a look at past discussions before subscribing:
<http://www.acm.org/archives/chi-web.html>
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
ITEM #4
Book of Interest
"Net Results: Web Marketing that Works" (Rick Bruner)
<http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1568304145/wedwordcom>
I've seen this book mention several places now. In
every case it has received praise. I admit that I
have not read it, since it is more of a marketing
than usability book. However, colleagues of mine
recommend it, so I thought I'd pass it on. I also
visited Amazon.com and read the reader reviews; they
are *very* favorable. It looks like a winner and I
will probably be getting it in the near future.
* Note: Buying books through WebWord.com keeps
WebWord.com free. THANK YOU for your
support!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
ITEM #5
Requesting Your Help
If you enjoy reading this newsletter and if you enjoy
WebWord.com, please tell a friend about it. Please
recommend WebWord.com on a discussion list, or place
a link to it on a page of your site.
Or, perhaps you could simply forward this newsletter to
a friend. Then they can decide to subscribe by going to
<http://webword.listbot.com>.
Recommending WebWord.com is easy. Simply go to
<http://webword.com/cgi-bin/birdcast.cgi>
and fill out
a few lines. It really is a snap!
This kind of support makes WebWord.com possible.
Thank
you
for
your
help!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
ITEM #6
Tech-head and Geek Links :-)
Many of you have asked me bizarre questions in
the last few weeks. For the most part your
questions have been about computers and technology.
I'll address some questions publicly.
Below are 3 links to some things that I think
many people would be interested in. They are not
all usability oriented (frown, groan, mumble), but
they should be helpful. If folks like these links
perhaps I can add more like them in the future.
LINK ONE
"John, what tools should I use to maintain my
rapidly growing Web site?"
=== Here's some help
<http://www.strom.com/awards/126.html>
LINK TWO
"What the heck is DVD?"
=== Here's a wonderful FAQ for you (Note: 224K)
<http://www.videodiscovery.com/vdyweb/dvd/dvdfaq.html>
LINK THREE
"What do people type in when they use search engines?
What are the coolest search words and phrases?"
=== Do some spying
<http://www.metaspy.com/>
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
ITEM #7
Usability Snapshot: Fun Stuff By Email
<http://www.zmedia.com/>
Here's a super clean site. I'm not sure about the
quality of the e-mail letters you can get or the
amount of ads (if any) in the newsletters. However,
this is a *very* easy to use and understand Web site.
You can see simplicity in action. If only all sites
were so easy to use and understand!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
ITEM #8
Coming Soon!
* I'm in the process of interviewing Web usability
expert, Jared Spool. This interview will focus on
the need and importance of user testing and data
collection. I expect this to be a hot one.
* I'm working on a VERY fun and special Moving WebWord
article about the usability and importance of
StarWars on the Web. Depending on the work involved,
I might even send out a special newsletter devoted
to it. Let me know what you think. If you have
ideas, throw them my way <mailto:john@webword.com>.
Thanks!
---- End of WebWord.com Usability Newsletter #11 ------
Go Back
to the WebWord.com Newsletter Archive
|