Re: Some fodder for marketing, perhaps

On 1/4/06, Larry Bolhuis <lbolhuis@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> Jon
>
> Jon Paris wrote:
> > I'm not a fan of GUI for GUI's sake.  I think there is still a role for
> a
> > character based interface but end-users disagree.
> >


First, I completely agree with Jon's statement.

Nonetheless, you are tilting at windmills here Larry.  This war has been
decided already, it is just taking a while for the losing army to
surrender.  Think of green screen apps as the Japanese soldiers on the South
Pacific islands.  The fact that some may still be alive does not mean that
the Japanese army is still viable.

With respect to usability ... that is not a platform problem it is a design
and execution problem.  Your wife likely works with a well written data
entry program.  Comparing that with a poorly designed web program isn't
persuasive.  Compare that data entry program with GMAIL or Netflix; there
isn't nearly the same vast difference in user experience.



> Ask any application or tool producer if they can sell a 5250 version of
> > their product - or if they are still investing in green screen apps.  I
> > don't think you'll find any.  End users decided long ago that they
> wanted a
> > graphical interface.
> >
> Graphical interfaces are fantastic for getting things OUT of the system.
> Query like logic, graphs, charts, pictures etc. are all wonderful on
> this side. It's not so bad for casual entry either especially when
> limited options exist as to what to do or limited fields to enter data
> in. But for those heavy data entry tasks the web still sucks more than
> my shop vac.


The gui world is not taking off because of the gui per-se.  It is taking off
because the development tools are good and getting better quickly, because
the underlying platforms are ubiquitous (web servers are everywhere), and
because they are so easily deliverered through the browser.

One of the best things going in the windows/web/gui world is the tremendous
amount of usability and user interface research, writing and discussion.
Searching Amazon for "user interface windows" gets 342 books, "user
interface web" gets 286 books, and "user interface gui" gets 586 books.
That, along with the huge recent strides in AJAX, leads me to think that
this will be a non-issue in a very short while.

Simply abandoing the 5250 interface because it's not sexy does not make
> the application better. There is no harm in keeping that part of the
> application when it works better and is more efficient for the user (not
> to mention the machine.)


Actually, there can be harm, if you are no longer able to get support for
the 5250 interface, no longer able to hire  programmers for green screen
interfaces, and have to pay a Kings ransom for hardware to run the 5250
application.

Sometimes you have to hold your nose and go with the crowd, not to the best
technical solution, but to the best business solution.  Clearly, at this
time, web/gui apps are the best business solution for just about every
application.

And one other thing, Just who the *&%$ decided it was more efficient for
> me to enter MMMMM instead of MI when I'm entering my address on a web
> page?  ..<<trimmed the great rant >> ..    Hey, how about we just
> enter the ZIP code and let the machine pull City and State from there!
> We did this 20 years ago on the green screen!!


As for the MMMMMMM and other issues, you are absolutely correct; they are
poorly designed and stupidly executed.  But again, that is not a gui or
platform problem.  How many times have you filled out HR, insurance, or
medical paperwork and had to re-enter your address and social security
number, etc., despite the fact that you know your company has it and it
hasn't changed in years, because of the stupid manual system?

Stupid design is stupid design.  It can be done on the green screen as
well.  How many order entry applications have to press Shift-F3 to enter
items, Shift-F6 to enter shipping information, and have to know what codes
to enter from memory to get the order to process properly.  And, not every
green screen app has the zip code lookup, even after 20 years!

Thanks for listening!

Larry's signature quote ..

  If you can read this, thank a teacher....and since it's in English,
> thank a soldier.


Well said.


--
Tom Jedrzejewicz
tomjedrz@xxxxxxxxx