From: prl.philips.nl!prl.philips.nl!gerris@prl.philips.nl
Subject: Re:  Computerized Reality: Better than VR
Date: Thu, 18 Jul 91 12:28:57 +0200



This is reacting to Pierre D. Wellner:


Bob (Moderator), go ahead, chastise Pierre!

Not just for letting you reformat the message, but most of all
for acting out the ease-of-use/keep-it-simple missionary.

Phrases like...

> Virtual worlds are lots of fun, but the real world is often 
> better for real work......
> Users want to learn the *minimum* possible.  The best systems 
> are designed to be familiar to users, and it is real world 
> objects and  environments that are most familiar.....

...emit too much of the old paternalistic "We know what's good
for you, poor user you...."  We see "use" and "work" being handled
here again as ends instead of means/paths to (self) expression,
actualization, fulfilment ... impression, experience, social
competence, etc.

Does not that *real* world of yours ever change, Pierre?

If an """interface"""" can give me a direct SENSE of my collegues'
appreciation for the things I'm doing, why then go through the
trouble of USING devices in the hope that somebody notices my
work activity??

Leverage and sense making (in many unanticipated ways) should be
pursued instead of the ugly industrialist ease-of-use/speed-of-use
ergonomics.

In my *real* world I see many so-called human-factors specialists
and user-interface designers spending their working hours in
*computerized realities* which are grossly discontinuous with
the *existing real world*.


Jack "Black Master" Gerrissen - Philips Research, Netherlands.