|
Re^4: Perlmonks SmartPhone App
by perl.j (Pilgrim) on Jul 16, 2011 at 02:38 UTC
|
It would still have all of the features that PerlMonks on a computer has, just in a more organized, app-friendly layout. | [reply] |
|
|
It would still have all of the features that PerlMonks on a computer has, just in a more organized, app-friendly layout.
I'm asking you, what would this app-friendly-layout look like?
| [reply] |
Re^4: Perlmonks SmartPhone App
by Steve_BZ (Chaplain) on Jul 17, 2011 at 12:13 UTC
|
Hi Anon,
If you haven't seen a touchscreen iPhone or an iPad, you should go to a store near you and get a demo. In my view it's the biggest paradigm shift since the GUI. If you are viewing this through a normal GUI window (MS or Linux or whatever), it would be hard to explain. First, there is no real keyboard. It is the reason why Google now has a small keyboard in it's search bar. Second it's flat or nearly flat on the table in front of you, like a book. It has no mouse, instead it has all sorts of 'gesture' programming, which means you can scroll by strocking the screen in the direction you want it to scroll. It also has 'kinetic' scroll. Which means it continues to scroll with a gradually damped effect after you finished touching the screen. When it reaches the point you want you just touch the screen again.
pj is right, pm needs to reflect these new changes in technology. They require interface changes.
Regards
Steve
| [reply] |
|
|
I do surf Perlmonks from my smartphone (HTC Desire Z), and I found /bare to be enough of the "Smartphone" UI I need. But maybe if you can tell us what exactly should be stripped/changed, we can work in this direction. "Paradigm shift" doesn't tell me where to.
But maybe part of the problem of me not getting it is that I have a smartphone with a hardware QWERTZ keyboard and use the multitough thing just for scrolling and clicking links.
| [reply] |
|
|
Hi Corion,
Well as one small example, in this case for an iPad, not an iPhone, the Nodelet area on the right hand side. On pm this requires you to click the link Nodelet Settings (if you can find it, and I can't offhand see where it's got to) and put in a sort code like 1, 2 etc, which the application then changes to 1.9, 2.9 etc (why is this?) and then press save (well actually I think it's called submit). The whole area could be drag and drop with a small 'x' showing on hoverOver for delete.
Here's what apple has to say about the positive use of GUI metaphors:
Metaphors
When virtual objects and actions in an application are metaphors for objects and actions in the real world, users quickly grasp how to use the app. The classic example of a software metaphor is the folder: People put things in folders in the real world, so they immediately understand the idea of putting files into folders on a computer.
The most appropriate metaphors suggest a usage or experience without enforcing the limitations of the real-world object or action on which they’re based. For example, people can fill software folders with much more content than would fit in a physical folder.
iOS provides great scope for metaphors because it supports rich graphical images and gestures. People physically interact with realistic onscreen objects, in many cases operating them as if they were real-world objects. Metaphors in iOS include:
- iPod playback controls
- Dragging, flicking, or swiping objects in a game
- Sliding On/Off switches
- Flicking through pages of photos
- Spinning picker wheels to make choices
In general, metaphors work best when they’re not stretched too far. For example, the usability of software folders would decrease if they had to be organized into a virtual filing cabinet.
Ref: Apple Human Interface Guidlines
But man, my text is prosaic and unstimulating, go into a store and play with an iPad.
Regards,
Steve
| [reply] |
|
|
|
|
If you haven't seen a touchscreen iPhone or an iPad, you should go to a store near you and get a demo.
I have seen the commercials, I have a mouse and a touch pad -- gestures aren't foreign to me -- gestures aren't apps, and my questions was, how would an app be different from /bare?
pj is right, pm needs to reflect these new changes in technology.They require interface changes.
PJ never suggested anything about gestures, besides apple already made the necessary interface changes :) because they didn't provide a mouse -- scrolling/zooming/forward/backward... gestures work in their browser, it works with /bare/ -- what would an app do that is different?
pj said more organized, app-friendly and that sounds good, but then he doesn't explain how -- do you know?
Maybe all /bare needs is a start page or something ...?
pj said in the OP that top 100 free apps earn $15,000/mo but have you seen the top 100? They're all games, music/videos/images, social networking, search, weather, maps, games --- nothing programming related, so there goes that incentive :)
| [reply] |
|
|
pj said in the OP that top 100 free apps earn $15,000/mo but have you seen the top 100? They're all games, music/videos/images, social networking, search, weather, maps, games --- nothing programming related, so there goes that incentive :)
Yes, I know (sigh), it's all a bit depressing. There are however sites out there that make money from more serious applications. To take an example, there are a number of free medical apps out there - have you seen the one that takes your pulse with an iPhone by putting your thumb over the camera? Totally amazing, as a physicist I don't know how they do it. Anyhow the rich and status conscious doctors where I live (in Sao Paulo), are generally comming to conclusion that these 'freebies' look unprofessional and are paying for more commercial grade applications.
Another is a site I use which looks like a normal journalistic IT site, but is in fact an IT trends research company, which languages, which hardware, which insourcing, which outsourcing etc. If you buy the commerical subscription, you get access to all the research results. They are on-track to make a substantial amount of money this year.
So there are more serious applications out there. Maybe PerlMonks will not be in the top 100, but that's cool too.
I value the free, unstinting support that it has given me over the last two or so years that I have used it. I couldn't have achieved what I've done without it. But, to protect my investment in Perl, I also want to attract more and younger programmers to the profession - like pj (I recall he says he's young somewhere). I want these guys to be excited and motivated by what we have to offer.
Anyhow, live long and prosper Anon,
Regards
Steve
| [reply] |