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Kenneth Reitz
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2.8 KiB
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59 lines
2.8 KiB
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A New Spin to Software Platform Design
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:date: 2008-11-11 19:31
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:category: Code
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\*I wrote this article two years ago, before I found OS X. I wish I
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would have known then.\* As I've said before, I find many reasons
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to believe that modern commercialized software platforms are
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severely lacking in many, many areas. This should not come as a
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surprise to anyone. Perhaps basic utility-inclusion is not the only
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solution though. Perhaps the basic priority structure and ethics
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that development and marketing teams utilize should be forced into
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question.
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Essentially, most major computer software corporations, are, all in
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all, trying to make money. No matter how hard you try to find a way
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around this, or justify why these companies try to do the things
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that they do, the only answer is money. These companies are simply
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trying to make a quick buck. This concept has worked incredibly
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well for years, but we seem to have a bit of a problem with
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foresight. After a while, people get rather bored with the same old
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concepts being presented to them in new and exciting ways. This is
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why Microsoft needs to release a new operating system every once in
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a while. Microsoft's current problem is that the masses are
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beginning to realize their other options.
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**So here's my proposal for the long-term design and marketing strategy 2.0:**
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An operating system should first be a place of power, consistency,
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stability, scalability, and flexibility. Included would be a robust
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and fully scriptable toolset which can be manipulated and presented
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both graphically and statistically.
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Second, the user interface should be very well thought out and
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planned, with ample room for improvement down the road. Its purpose
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should first be a place of usability, workflow, and creativity.
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Task-related workflow and presentation customization, accessible to
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all types of users, is crucial to the success of the UI. Second,
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the User Interface should be a mode of personal expression and
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aesthetic preference. This should never take precedence over the
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overall stability, usability, or general usefulness of a desktop
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system, for any given reason.
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Lastly, the user application platform system needs to be designed.
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A centralized repository of applications is an incredibly efficient
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method for application distribution. This repository would be a
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dynamic, centralized database of application software and packages
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that are intended for different groups of people. Most major Linux
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distributions use this heavily, as well as Apple for it's iPod and
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iPhone applications, and it has been proven to work well.
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Any of these rules should have the ability to be broken easily by
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advanced power users for technical reasons/needs. This should be in
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no way advertised or demonstrated.
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Anyone up for the challenge?
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