I remember when I first pledged my allegiance to the iOS subsystem, denouncing Android once and for all. I recall my uncle, a staunch supporter of Android, berating me for my lack of evidence supporting the superiority of iOS. All I had to say to defend myself was that iOS displays simply looked better. I was 13 at the time and I pondered whether I simply wasn’t tech-savvy enough. 10 years later, I still hold the same opinion and have never considered leaving the iOS cult. Aesthetics are, indeed, an important complement to usability, as Norman says. I am less likely to yell at my iPhone when it lags than I am at an Android. Its seamless design is enticing enough to suppress the negative affect of the anxiety of working through the occasional lags and confusion of working with technology.
This also reminded me of the invention of a GUI in place of the regular terminal. There is no inherent usability or advantage of using a GUI as an interface over the terminal. In fact, I would argue that for certain needs, the terminal may provide faster access to data and processes on the user’s computer in addition to greater control. To be fair, terminal commands do require a bit of learning but they could be easily learned by beginners. I would argue the attractiveness of the GUI makes the experience of interacting with a computer more pleasant, more seamless, and less stressful, potentially contributing to more productivity and, perhaps even, enhanced usability.
GUI
Terminal InterfaceI, especially, loved the second reading on the story of Margaret Hamilton’s contributions to the Apollo mission to the moon. What was exceptional about the story, in addition to highlighting an important female figure who has made critical contributions to one of the most important human achievements – all while being a mother, but also the meta-process of coding and creating code. To learn that the bare bones of what software is was formulated with the help of a powerful woman is also a great testament to the valuable contributions of women to technology and innovation – an insight to be considered in a time and age where the technology field is male-dominated and could oftentimes be hostile to women.