Re: [fw-wiz] MJR on Linux/OSS

From: Kevin (kkadow_at_gmail.com)
Date: 03/10/05

  • Next message: R. DuFresne: "Re: [fw-wiz] MJR on Linux/OSS" 
    To: firewall-wizards@honor.icsalabs.com
Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 22:24:26 -0600

    On Mon, 7 Mar 2005 23:47:06 +0530, Devdas Bhagat
    <devdas@dvb.homelinux.org> wrote:
    > http://www.ranum.com/editorials/divide-conquer/
    >
    > Summary: Diversity in interfaces is bad. Microsoft's consistent interface
    > is good.

    Summary: A uniform, predictable, and consistent *user* interface is good.

    I might not go so far as to say that Microsoft is the best example of
    this concept,
    but I think the underlying concept is sound. Consider MacOS as an alternative
    if you find that less disturbing.

    This almost reads like one of Schneier's rants; If I climb into an
    unfamiliar car,
    the e-brake user interface is all but universal, I don't have to be
    concerned that
    if I'm in a Saab that big lever in the "stop!" location in every other
    make of vehicle
    is the "go fast!" control in this one variant. Same goes with
    MS-Windows and the
    X in the upper right corner of any window.

    > The trouble with a single dominant monoculture is that it does increase
    > the damage caused by a single hole. See blaster, and the long thread
    > which was spawned by *that* on this list.

    IMHO, User interface design is one area where monoculture is not evil.

    Marcus isn't talking low-level system calls here, but rather the way in which
    information is *presented* to the user (window widget layout) and how input
    *accepted* from the user (keyboard shortcuts and mouse click meaning).

    How does the concept of a "hole" apply to user interface design?

    I suppose a counter-example could be those popup ads that imitate the
    look of a Windows error alert box, attempting to trick the user into clicking.
    These always look more than a little silly when you see one in Safari.
    That said, Palladium will, for all it's evils, address this problem.

    > I guess this is one of those things on which I disagree with Marcus.
    > Hopefully, this leads to another good discussion on what would work
    > best for what requirements (as opposed to the /. threads).

    And for perhaps the first time in history, I agree with Marcus
    (with over three weeks to go until April 1st.)

    Kevin Kadow 

    --
"If it looks like a button, it damn well better do *something* when
you click it."
         -- Kevin Kadow on that newfangled HTML "IMG" tag, circa 1994
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