Archive for September, 2004

Guidelines for Linking

Tuesday, September 21st, 2004

“It’s somewhat related to the last point, and I don’t see this quite as much, but there are times when a Web page will have a call to action, or a non-underlined link in a strange spot that just doesn’t look like a link, either because of it’s appearance or it’s location on the page.”
Read […]

Gbrowser, gBrowser, or just gbrowser?

Tuesday, September 21st, 2004

Earlier this year I predicted that Google was going to launch an instant messenger client. It might not happen in 2004, but I still think it will happen. Furthermore, more than 3 years ago, I explained why Google should develop a web browser or internet client. Good prediction? Was I ahead of my time? Am […]

MMS - not usable, not funny

Tuesday, September 21st, 2004

The Feature — “Even though MMS is now cross-network compatible and reasonably priced, usage is still waning in the UK. There is still at least one more barrier to knock down — usability. […] Composing a quality MMS with images, background, text, even sound is a difficult skill that takes an artistic talent.”
Read the article
Editor’s […]

Software programs called RSS readers creating a blog jam

Tuesday, September 21st, 2004

Seattle Times — “The uptick in visits is a side effect of RSS readers, a familiar technology in the world of blogs, but one that is just starting to catch on with mainstream Web users. And some experts say that Web sites may not be prepared to handle the massive amount of traffic the readers […]

Web designers no longer blind to needs of visually impaired

Tuesday, September 21st, 2004

IBM News — “IBM technology is helping to make the Internet more accessible to people with vision impairments. One program, Home Page Reader, converts web site text and links into speech. Another program, aDesigner, lets web designer see how well their sites will work for visually impaired users.”
Read the news

Cost of Frustration

Monday, September 20th, 2004

Web Pro News — “It’s difficult to find someone who doesn’t believe it’s beneficial to make a more usable design. However, in today’s design environment, it’s often difficult to justify the expense of usability work against other business priorities.”
The article was written by Jared Spool. Smart guy, smart words.
Read the article…

Search String Order Matters in Google

Monday, September 20th, 2004

Question 1: Regarding search engine searches, do you think that there is a difference between dog food and food dog? That is, do you expect the same results typing in dog food versus food dog?
Question 2: When you talk to other people, is there a difference between dog food and food dog? If so, why?
I’m […]

SAP and Microsoft: Definitely in Bed Together

Monday, September 20th, 2004

An email from Microsoft very bluntly states that Microsoft runs SAP. Indeed, Microsoft is an SAP reference site. The heart of the email I received is that Microsoft is running a workshop for approximately 200 people at the end of October covering everything from how Microsoft uses SAP to Change Management Best Practices to how […]

Registration? For What?

Monday, September 20th, 2004

Dvorak — “Exactly what is the point of requiring registration? Is it to prove that the person exists? Is it to stop bots from scanning the sites, and so make sure that none of the content is properly indexed for everyone to find? Or is it to irritate people and keep them away? I think […]

China’s Online Shopping Stuck in Web of Problems

Monday, September 20th, 2004

Reuters — “But only 10 percent of China’s estimated 90 million-plus Web surfers buy things on the Internet, compared with 38 percent in the United States, according to industry executives. “Chinese do want to buy things online, but many are afraid to take the first step,” said Toto Sun, general manager of China’s second-largest online […]

The User-Centric Design Trap

Monday, September 20th, 2004

ClickZ — “If simply creating the ultimate Web site experience is your goal, a UCD design process is certainly wise. If your goal is to create a profitable Web site that’s optimized to meet key performance indicator goals, then the UCD process, though well intentioned, falls short.”
Read more…
p.s. The arguments in this article are similar […]

Is Your Site Mobile Friendly?

Sunday, September 19th, 2004

“You shouldn’t need to recreate or overhaul your entire website, if you simply make your initial interface into a small; maximum 150 pixel (for Palm) or 240 pixel (for PocketPC) screen size and set your search results from that particular interface to come out in a frameless, text-based, low-bandwidth format. If you look at the […]