Case-sensitivity: why -- or why not? (was Re: Damnation!)

[Fredrik Lundh]

James Logajan <JamesL at Lugoj.Com> wrote:
> > The Alice study only proves that users can memorize the case conventions
> > used in a single specific library (in this case, the Alice environment), not that
> > they won't get into trouble again when they stumble upon a library that uses
> > different conventions.
> 
> Slow learners until proven otherwise? What target IQ level would you
> consider an appropriate cutoff?

given that I have to figure out the conventions of every new library, and
end up getting NameErrors and AttributeErrors now and then, I suppose
that target is 20-100 points above my own level.

not that the IQ level has anything to do with it -- any decent designer
knows you'll get better results if you assume that users are very smart,
but also very busy.

> Also, if you wish to be taken more seriously, may I humbly suggest that you
> avoid posting statements like the following:
>
> > Maybe non-geek programmers have better things to do with their time?

if you have problems with that statement, I suggest reading more HCI
literature.  for a popular account, start with Cooper's "The Inmates are
Running the Asylum".

</F>

  "Users would rather be successful than knowledgeable." -- Alan Cooper