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There are many metaphors around when you take a look at your computer's applications. The most times you will use metaphors by choosing a suitable name or icon for a function or desinging the workflow like a well known process. Though here are two examples of well known metaphers that almost rule the way we deal with the applications they are used in: | There are many metaphors around when you take a look at your computer's applications. The most times you will use metaphors by choosing a suitable name or icon for a function or desinging the workflow like a well known process. Though here are two examples of well known metaphers that almost rule the way we deal with the applications they are used in: | ||
* '''The Desktop''' | * '''The Desktop: ''' A classic Metaphor. Like in you real desktop you can put documents you currently deal with, on your desktop and organize your workspace. Many aspects of a real world desktop were not transferred for good reasons. The recycling bin e.g. is usually not seen on top of your real world desktop. But it is pretty useful that it is on your computer's desktop. | ||
A classic Metaphor. Like in you real desktop you can put documents you currently deal with, on your desktop and organize your workspace. Many aspects of a real world desktop were not transferred for good reasons. The recycling bin e.g. is usually not seen on top of your real world desktop. But it is pretty useful that it is on your computer's desktop. | |||
[[File:Tools_GIMP.png|thumb]] | [[File:Tools_GIMP.png|thumb]] | ||
*''' | *'''Tools: '''<br> You hardly notice this metaphor. Its pretty good. We use tools all the time in our real life and we easyly know how to use the tools on the toolbar in our image editing program: The eraser deletes stuff, the brush paints with color etc. | ||
You hardly notice this metaphor. Its pretty good. We use tools all the time in our real life and we easyly know how to use the tools on the toolbar in our image editing program: The eraser deletes stuff, the brush paints with color etc. | |||
Metaphors seem to be simply great at the first glance. But they can cause a lot of problems too. They can constrain the user because real world constrains do not apply in the computer. In bad cases the whole interface just follows the metaphor instead of the users needs. This happened in "Microsoft Bob" which was a desktop replacement using a house as metaphor. To access different kinds of applications you needed to go to different rooms. To start the word processor you clicked on a sheet of paper on the desk in the living room etc. The use was cumbersome and unintuitive, so Bob did not succeed. Not as bad as Bob but worth mentioning is the interface of QuickTime 5 that used a wheel to change the sound intensity. So... how do you turn a wheel using your mouse? It turned out that it the usual linear movement worked as well - the same you do when you use a normal slider. | Metaphors seem to be simply great at the first glance. But they can cause a lot of problems too. They can constrain the user because real world constrains do not apply in the computer. In bad cases the whole interface just follows the metaphor instead of the users needs. This happened in "Microsoft Bob" which was a desktop replacement using a house as metaphor. To access different kinds of applications you needed to go to different rooms. To start the word processor you clicked on a sheet of paper on the desk in the living room etc. The use was cumbersome and unintuitive, so Bob did not succeed. Not as bad as Bob but worth mentioning is the interface of QuickTime 5 that used a wheel to change the sound intensity. So... how do you turn a wheel using your mouse? It turned out that it the usual linear movement worked as well - the same you do when you use a normal slider. | ||