Gmail launched in March 2004. But after more than four years, the site still uses “beta” on its logo.
For the uninitiated, “beta” is a fancy way of saying, “this software or website is a work in progress.” But all software and websites are works in progress, so the term is primarily used today to sound cool — nothing more.
So let’s drop that “beta,” Google. Besides, you’re not as cool as you once were (but I still love ya).
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IDG News (whom I freelance for) reports: “Microsoft’s brand power has been in sharp decline over the past four years, an indication the company is losing credibility and mindshare with U.S. business users, according to a recent study by market research firm CoreBrand.”
I enjoy seeing fat business cows get a proper market cleansing.
Steve Krug argues in his book Don’t Make Me Think! that a good program or product should let users accomplish their intended tasks as easily and directly as possible. The less time it takes a person to complete a desired task (even if only by a few seconds), the more satisfying it becomes. When that happens, people are more likely to use a product in greater frequency and return for more. So in the spirit of improved usability, here are ten standard features every videogame designer should embrace.
Smooth Harold is the official blog of Blake Snow, a contributing writer, user experience critic, and editorial consultant living the good life with a wife and kids. He is writing a book on finding offline balance in an online world and can be reached by email.
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Over the years, I've benefited both personally and professionally from kind and intelligent individuals over lunch. Yes, good people still exist. So if you're ever in the greater Salt Lake area (all are welcome) and want to grab a friendly bite, don't hesitate to ask.