So, we're getting a new image management computer system at work to replace conventional film. The system's been installed and it's time to train the users.
Well, today it was my turn. How hard can it be? I'm a regular windows user, and can work a UNIX desktop reasonably competantly.
I dunno if it was just me - but I really struggled with the software - it was as if everything was totally back-assward.
The first warning was from the instructor - 'you need to use the mouse to control the software'. 'Well, duh!', I thought. 'It is running Windows XP. That's what everyone says about windows when they don't know any better'.
'Select an image from the list and load it.'
So I try to tab to the list of images. No - can't do that. No tab support. OK. I click on the list. Ok. I'll try typing the first letter of the name. Nothing. Ok. I'll use the page-up/down keys. Nope, doesn't work either. Up& down arrows. Yup they work. Select the right one. Hit enter. Cursor moves to the next one in the list.
'You need to use the mouse,' comes the helpful tip from the instructor. 'It's all controlled by the mouse. You don't need to use the keyboard'.
Well, you don't need to - but if you're already using the keyboard to define filters, and type free text - I don't want to have to use the mouse to select the next image in the list, when I could just tab to it.
I double-click the name, and finally the thing loads.
'This is the most important tool you'll need to use,' she says pointing at an icon that looks like this.
'Oh. right. That's for panning the image'.
'No. That's for changing brightness and contrast'.
'Err. Right. WTF'.
'Next tool is the zoom tool.'
'OK. Selected.'. I watch as the cursor turns into a magnifying glass.
'Have a go with that'.
I Left click. Nothing appears to change. I move the mouse a bit, and find that it's picked up the image (like dragging with stickykeys) and it's now panning. Another click puts the image down.
Hmm. How do you zoom. Right click. nothing. Middle click. nothing. Mouse wheel - finally.
'OK. Go back to the brightness tool'.
I click on the brightness tool button. Nothing happens. Zoom is still selected.
'Err. How do I go back?'
'You need to unselect the zoom tool first. It takes priority over other tools, so you toggle it on and off'.
Don't even get me started about how weird it is working with multiple images on screen. Completely counter-intuitive.
I dunno who developed the interface for this software - it's so completely unlike any software I've ever used before - you can't assume anything. The think is, it's meant to be used by people who aren't terribly computer literate - the impression I get is that it's software design like this that scares people away from computers - you just can't apply existing experience.
End rant. Is this just me? Are my expectations unreasonable? This is a many million$ installation.
Cliffs:
New image viewer software at work.
Completely redesigned user interface
No keyboard shortcuts, bizarre selection of toolbar icons, bizzare tool selection
Missing lots of functions I had taken for granted before - a definite step back from the 'transitional' system we were running before.
Well, today it was my turn. How hard can it be? I'm a regular windows user, and can work a UNIX desktop reasonably competantly.
I dunno if it was just me - but I really struggled with the software - it was as if everything was totally back-assward.
The first warning was from the instructor - 'you need to use the mouse to control the software'. 'Well, duh!', I thought. 'It is running Windows XP. That's what everyone says about windows when they don't know any better'.
'Select an image from the list and load it.'
So I try to tab to the list of images. No - can't do that. No tab support. OK. I click on the list. Ok. I'll try typing the first letter of the name. Nothing. Ok. I'll use the page-up/down keys. Nope, doesn't work either. Up& down arrows. Yup they work. Select the right one. Hit enter. Cursor moves to the next one in the list.
'You need to use the mouse,' comes the helpful tip from the instructor. 'It's all controlled by the mouse. You don't need to use the keyboard'.
Well, you don't need to - but if you're already using the keyboard to define filters, and type free text - I don't want to have to use the mouse to select the next image in the list, when I could just tab to it.
I double-click the name, and finally the thing loads.
'This is the most important tool you'll need to use,' she says pointing at an icon that looks like this.
'Oh. right. That's for panning the image'.
'No. That's for changing brightness and contrast'.
'Err. Right. WTF'.
'Next tool is the zoom tool.'
'OK. Selected.'. I watch as the cursor turns into a magnifying glass.
'Have a go with that'.
I Left click. Nothing appears to change. I move the mouse a bit, and find that it's picked up the image (like dragging with stickykeys) and it's now panning. Another click puts the image down.
Hmm. How do you zoom. Right click. nothing. Middle click. nothing. Mouse wheel - finally.
'OK. Go back to the brightness tool'.
I click on the brightness tool button. Nothing happens. Zoom is still selected.
'Err. How do I go back?'
'You need to unselect the zoom tool first. It takes priority over other tools, so you toggle it on and off'.
Don't even get me started about how weird it is working with multiple images on screen. Completely counter-intuitive.
I dunno who developed the interface for this software - it's so completely unlike any software I've ever used before - you can't assume anything. The think is, it's meant to be used by people who aren't terribly computer literate - the impression I get is that it's software design like this that scares people away from computers - you just can't apply existing experience.
End rant. Is this just me? Are my expectations unreasonable? This is a many million$ installation.
Cliffs:
New image viewer software at work.
Completely redesigned user interface
No keyboard shortcuts, bizarre selection of toolbar icons, bizzare tool selection
Missing lots of functions I had taken for granted before - a definite step back from the 'transitional' system we were running before.
In virtually every media player I've got you hit Space to pause whatever you're watching. In WMP it's Control-P. WTF. Hitting P I could probably understand, but whyTF do you have to hit Control too? Plus in the newer versions every time you nudge the mouse it brings up those idiotic menu controls, which resizes your video. Why can't they just overlay those without having to resize? :|
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