bad Jakob Nielsen, bad!

[goynang]

Just read the following on http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20020930.html

In any case, from an interaction design perspective, Netscape is a pale imitation of IE, and Macintosh is a higher-priced dolled-up variant of Windows.

Dolled-up variant of windows!

Pah!

Why I oughta....!

[holmBrew]

He usually has some good points that are only visible to those who can sift through his rhetoric. Most of what comes out of nielson's mouth (or keyboard, as it were) is cynical and negative. Jakob nielson is a misanthropic bastard, but very good at what he does.

[Ricky]

Originally posted by goynang
Macintosh is a higher-priced dolled-up variant of Windows.

Don't you hate it when people talk about this kind of thing, when they don't even know their a** from their elbow?

[davidbrit2]

It's funny how he claims that Netscape and Macintosh are imitations of IE and Windows, when the former have been around longer. Such ignorance from the mouths of Windows junkies.

[holmBrew]

I actually think it is a stretch to call Jakob Nielsen a "windows junky" or that he "doesn't know his ass from his elbow", he does have a very decorated past and carries some strong credentials as a UI designer.

He biggest problem is his opinions and that many of them are not substantiated.

[karavite]

Originally posted by holmBrew
I actually think it is a strtch to call Jakob Nielsen a "windows junky" or that he "doesn't know his ass from his elbow", he does have a very decorated past and carries some strong credentials as a UI designer.

He biggest problem is his opinions and that many of them are not substantiated.

He's right. I'm a usability specialist (I have a masters in Human Computer Interaction) and J.N. is something of the pioneer in the field - but he often seems to spout things that are not well thought out. On top of that, I don't think he has ever built anything in his life (the "other" usability beyond *evaluating* usability) and to deny Apple's groundbreaking work in usability, UI design and even accessibility (and/or taking Xerox's work and putting it into an actual product people can buy) is a serious blunder on his part.

Also, he was talking about web browsing and comparing that between PC and Mac - you could argue there is little difference since it is basically IE on both machines and his topic is limited to newsletters. However, I think IE for Mac has a much better UI than for Windows.

It's funny, he has an older article on how software crashes cost us billions in productivity - seems he should be aware of OS X's crashproofness.

[Ricky]

What I'm wondering is, has this guy ever *used* a Mac? And if so, has he done so for more than five minutes at a demo machine running at his local CompUSA?

Why is Nielsen even writing comparisons if he hasn't even seen both sides? And another thing, *if* he compared IE on Windows to IE on Mac, it's not right. IE on Mac is a crappy port, and therefore unequal. Therefore, it's an unfair comparison.

In my opinion, this ignoramus shouldn't be writing articles.

[holmBrew]

Trying not to defend Neilsen's motives or actions more than I already have, it is short sighted to think that he has never used a Mac. If you take a moment to browse over to useit.com and read some of his credentials he is a master in the field of usability. Take his stuff at face value and process it abstractly; only then will you be able to skim the valuable frothe from his heady rhetoric.