I've been thinking about this topic for awhile but just haven't sat down and wrote about it. And right now, I'm having a hard time explaining this... it's just one of those afternoons.
So... here we go. Computers. We all use them, hopefully. I'm not going to talk about the processing or the hard drives or how fast or slow or this or that... I'm going to talk a little about design.
Wether we realize it or not, computers drive our society. They are in every facet of our lives. I think something that bugs me is when someone says... "I don't like or use computers." Okay, so they don't like them but they can't ever say that they don't use them or they don't affect their lives.
I'll give you one example: a cell-phone. Cell phones today are micro-computers. So if you can use a cell phone somewhat, than you can use a computer. If you can drive a car, you can use a computer. If you can use a calculator, you can use a computer. I know this sounds weird but even today's sewing machines that make your awesome clothes that you want so badly, are programmed by a computer.
Back to the cell-phone. The interface of your phone. This means the face of your phone, the screen of your phone. The design is based on touch. This design has exploded. It's fun, it's easy to use, it's visual.
Notice that before they existed with cell phones, they were at check-in kiosks at the airport, and many restaurants had their staff enter your orders into a touch-screen based interface.
I'm not positive about this, but I think this really grew in popularity with the iphone.
If you check out books at the library, I'm sure you have noticed the self-check machines. These have a touch-based interface. You use the machine by touching a screen, not a keyboard.
What does this have to do with libraries, and whatever?
Think about it. Wouldn't it be nice if someone came along and redid our computer catalogs. Making them more user friendly by adding a touch-based screen with more icons and less jargon and words to get mixed up with. To me, this makes sense. Especially for younger audiences who really have a hard time typing out or correctly spelling the title of a book. And really, nowadays, I think the computer catalog would be less offensive if it were familiar to people of the public, not just academics.
I'm not going to lie. I think the computer catalog needs to be improved in a creative manner. Otherwise, it's just confusing. They are confusing to me and I'm a librarian.
And, with every library, the catalog changes (they way it looks from the outside), it's interface, changes. Making a trip to the library more like a learning session of how to use the computer catalog to find a book or the information you need.
Why hasn't it happened? Has it? Where does it exist? What do you think? Or, do you even think about it?
When I read about the sensitivity of these touch-based screens, there is a lot to be said about improvement. Improving the sensors. But don't ask me. I'm just reading about something.
-a highly wired lady
My next post, if you pay attention, has to do with the XBox and how it's going to dominate by the end of this year with a design called natal.
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