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March 09, 2004

The Turing Test for UI's

Ok, I admit I was a bit testy last night. I have the flu, I have a father-in-law for whom I've bought two computers and three operating systems (XP, Linux, Mac) who still can't pick up his frigging email, and I just wanted to go to sleep.

Instead, I found myself doing Kafka's version of the Turing Test: Can a computer convince you that it's usable if you're connected by telephone to an intelligent human who, when it comes to computers, knows how to move a mouse and find letters on a keyboard but little more?

Anyway, thanks for the suggestions in the comments section of the previous post, including your restraint in offering rude suggestions.

Posted by D. Weinberger at March 9, 2004 10:45 AM


Comments

And just to make the discussion a little more surrealistic, over at Slashdot today, there's a long debate thread on why the command line interface of Linux is a better interface for new users than is a graphical user interface. All complete with the expected "...and now my mom uses Pine from the command line to get her email."

Then again, perhaps that's a solution for your dad? :)

Posted by: Mark Federman | March 9, 2004 05:41 PM


Get well soon, D.
Try some elderberry and echinacea.

Posted by: Oklahoma Wine News | March 10, 2004 03:38 PM


David,
Sounds like you need a good laugh,
http://www-edlab.cs.umass.edu/~ahelblin/misc/mac.html

And yes, this page works great on Mandrake 9.2, which I love becouse I don't have to help my 11 year old daughter to use it.

Paul

Posted by: Paul Benkovitz | March 11, 2004 02:52 PM


Paul, that guy's a lot angrier than I am. Damn funny, too. Thanks.

Posted by: David Weinberger | March 11, 2004 06:28 PM


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