City of Bits Blog http://www.louiseferguson.com/cityofbits.htm Usability, user experience, technology, ethnography, design, the workplace, e-government and public policy, from a UK perspective 2006-04-25T13:00:25Z en-GB Sound and vision These days I'm generating far mo... http://www.louiseferguson.com/archives/2006_04_01_/archives/cityofbits_archive.htm#114596929551993938 <span style="font-weight:bold;">Sound and vision</span><br /><br />These days I'm generating far more data on <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/76313636@N00/">Flickr</a> and on <a href="http://www.last.fm/user/Zuazua/">Last.fm</a> than I am here. Does that say something about a change in balance between the visual, sound, and the written word, in my current interests? <br /><br />Probably. I recently acquired a <a href="http://www.slimdevices.com/pi_overview.html">Squeezebox 3</a>, and that's definitely had an impact on how much I'm listening to music, what I'm listening to. <br /><br />I hope to blog something more extensive about it here shortly, but in summary, it changes everything, but the interface to large music collections really needs addressing. <br /><br />If you have 1,000+ albums, numerous loose tracks, and so on, seeing a collection through 'browse album' (one at a time) is laborious to say the least. There's a loss of context going on. It's easy enough to flip through a bunch of physical objects - CDs, vinyl - with hyper-rapid recognition. Having to *read* text takes more time. And there's a loss of context: items that 'sit next to' one another, for example. Tagging with 'genre' and so on is all well and fine, but requires somewhat more application than messing around with a pile of physical objects. And genres are of course all or nothing, whereas physical objects can have transitions, gradients, gradual movements from one into another. <br /><br />The Squeezebox search function is weird: it doesn't seem to work on 'initial letter'. So an artist search on 'K' will not throw up Kasabian or Kate Bush among the first items, but rather a load of items with 'k' in the artist tag text. <br /><br />So the Squeezebox is a great leap forward but there's a long way to go.<br /><br />Hope to come back to this. Louise 2006-04-25T12:41:00Z Sound and vision

These days I'm generating far more data on Flickr and on Last.fm than I am here. Does that say something about a change in balance between the visual, sound, and the written word, in my current interests?

Probably. I recently acquired a Squeezebox 3, and that's definitely had an impact on how much I'm listening to music, what I'm listening to.

I hope to blog something more extensive about it here shortly, but in summary, it changes everything, but the interface to large music collections really needs addressing.

If you have 1,000+ albums, numerous loose tracks, and so on, seeing a collection through 'browse album' (one at a time) is laborious to say the least. There's a loss of context going on. It's easy enough to flip through a bunch of physical objects - CDs, vinyl - with hyper-rapid recognition. Having to *read* text takes more time. And there's a loss of context: items that 'sit next to' one another, for example. Tagging with 'genre' and so on is all well and fine, but requires somewhat more application than messing around with a pile of physical objects. And genres are of course all or nothing, whereas physical objects can have transitions, gradients, gradual movements from one into another.

The Squeezebox search function is weird: it doesn't seem to work on 'initial letter'. So an artist search on 'K' will not throw up Kasabian or Kate Bush among the first items, but rather a load of items with 'k' in the artist tag text.

So the Squeezebox is a great leap forward but there's a long way to go.

Hope to come back to this.]]> Windows Live This results display for Windows Live... http://www.louiseferguson.com/archives/2006_03_01_/archives/cityofbits_archive.htm#114258834943076864 <span style="font-weight:bold;">Windows Live</span><br />This <a href="http://www.live.com/#q=crackberry&offset=1">results display</a> for Windows Live Beta is questionable. The 'scroll bar' to the right seems to be a little short of the usual functionality. How do I know where I am? There doesn't seem to be enough visual info to enable me to instantly make that assessment. Louise 2006-03-17T09:34:00Z Windows Live
This results display for Windows Live Beta is questionable. The 'scroll bar' to the right seems to be a little short of the usual functionality. How do I know where I am? There doesn't seem to be enough visual info to enable me to instantly make that assessment.]]> Cambridge conference in April The Intelligent Env... http://www.louiseferguson.com/archives/2006_03_01_/archives/cityofbits_archive.htm#114164808373941594 <span style="font-weight:bold;">Cambridge conference in April</span><br /><br />The Intelligent Environments Group at Microsoft Research Cambridge has organised the <a href="http://research.microsoft.com/ero/iep/isie06.aspx">International Symposium on Intelligent Environments</a> for 5-7 April. The keynote speaker is Don Norman (hurrah!), and there are plenty of other interesting people involved.<br /><br />Registration - online - is free of charge (see the link above), and accommodation is available at Homerton College for the reasonable sum of £60 per night. Louise 2006-03-06T12:20:00Z Cambridge conference in April

The Intelligent Environments Group at Microsoft Research Cambridge has organised the International Symposium on Intelligent Environments for 5-7 April. The keynote speaker is Don Norman (hurrah!), and there are plenty of other interesting people involved.

Registration - online - is free of charge (see the link above), and accommodation is available at Homerton College for the reasonable sum of £60 per night.]]> DRM = bad user experience Interesting piece at St... http://www.louiseferguson.com/archives/2006_02_01_/archives/cityofbits_archive.htm#114115327257410955 <span style="font-weight:bold;">DRM = bad user experience</span><br /><br />Interesting <a href="http://www.stereophile.com/news/022606yahoo/">piece at Sterophile</a> of why DRM is a bad idea for everyone including consumers, in their coverage of a speech by Dave Goldberg, general manager of Yahoo Music, at the Music 2.0 conference in Los Angeles. <blockquote>...the part that caught our attention was his analysis of how DRM discourages consumers from purchasing legitimate music files, since it imposes restrictions on the use of that music that illegal alternatives do not.</blockquote><blockquote>"We believe that music should be in my car stereo, in my home, on my phone—anywhere but on my PC, where it could crash on me,"</blockquote>said Goldberg.<br /><br />This was exactly the same point I made in January to the All-Party Parliamentary Internet Group inquiry into DRM the UK. If you make using legal products into a consumer nightmare by using DRM, you'll drive consumers further into using illegal ones. DRM is a great way to alienate your customers, and also an excellent way of losing sales. And David Goldberg of Yahoo Music, part of the very industry that is foisting DRM upon us, has now said so. Cool. Louise 2006-02-28T18:47:00Z DRM = bad user experience

Interesting piece at Sterophile of why DRM is a bad idea for everyone including consumers, in their coverage of a speech by Dave Goldberg, general manager of Yahoo Music, at the Music 2.0 conference in Los Angeles.
...the part that caught our attention was his analysis of how DRM discourages consumers from purchasing legitimate music files, since it imposes restrictions on the use of that music that illegal alternatives do not.
"We believe that music should be in my car stereo, in my home, on my phone—anywhere but on my PC, where it could crash on me,"
said Goldberg.

This was exactly the same point I made in January to the All-Party Parliamentary Internet Group inquiry into DRM the UK. If you make using legal products into a consumer nightmare by using DRM, you'll drive consumers further into using illegal ones. DRM is a great way to alienate your customers, and also an excellent way of losing sales. And David Goldberg of Yahoo Music, part of the very industry that is foisting DRM upon us, has now said so. Cool.]]> Audio transcription utilities Researchers often f... http://www.louiseferguson.com/archives/2006_02_01_/archives/cityofbits_archive.htm#114112085667786533 <span style="font-weight:bold;">Audio transcription utilities</span><br /><br />Researchers often find that standard tools don't meet their needs: digital audio devices that can record are often designed primarily for sound reproduction of prerecorded material, with recording an afterthought (poor quality, risible quantity). And for transcribing recordings, most tools offer insufficient precision for dealing with voice rather than music. We are seen as consumers rather than producers, and it shows.<br /><br />Mads Rydahl, husband of anthropologist Kathrine Kroijer Hoersted, has just put together a transcribing tool for ethnographers, so it has some features that are particularly useful. As Katherine says, <blockquote>you operate the play back of your sound file using keyboard shortcuts while transcribing in Word. When you press "pause" and then a little later "play" it automatically rewinds 5 seconds. You can also adjust the playback speed... and it is very simple to use.</blockquote>Visit the <a href="http://www.planet.dk/transScriber/">TransScriber</a> page to download. (Windows only at present.)<br /><br />Other tools now available include another called <a href="http://trans.sourceforge.net/en/presentation.php">Transcriber</a> (MacOS, Windows, Linux), primarily aimed at speech researchers but of much wider application, <a href="http://www.boingboing.net/2004/12/10/excellent_transcribi.html">Listen & Type</a> (MacOS), <a href="http://www.transana.com/">Transana</a> (Windows, Mac version in preparation), which also handles video. Louise 2006-02-28T09:15:00Z Audio transcription utilities

Researchers often find that standard tools don't meet their needs: digital audio devices that can record are often designed primarily for sound reproduction of prerecorded material, with recording an afterthought (poor quality, risible quantity). And for transcribing recordings, most tools offer insufficient precision for dealing with voice rather than music. We are seen as consumers rather than producers, and it shows.

Mads Rydahl, husband of anthropologist Kathrine Kroijer Hoersted, has just put together a transcribing tool for ethnographers, so it has some features that are particularly useful. As Katherine says,
you operate the play back of your sound file using keyboard shortcuts while transcribing in Word. When you press "pause" and then a little later "play" it automatically rewinds 5 seconds. You can also adjust the playback speed... and it is very simple to use.
Visit the TransScriber page to download. (Windows only at present.)

Other tools now available include another called Transcriber (MacOS, Windows, Linux), primarily aimed at speech researchers but of much wider application, Listen & Type (MacOS), Transana (Windows, Mac version in preparation), which also handles video.]]> Doors of Perception 9 John Tahackara has just ann... http://www.louiseferguson.com/archives/2006_02_01_/archives/cityofbits_archive.htm#114111804673758995 <span style="font-weight:bold;">Doors of Perception 9</span><br /><br />John Tahackara has just announced that the next <a href="http://www.doorsofperception.com/archives/2006/02/holi_party_in_d.php">Doors of Perception</a> (Doors 9) will take place in India in 2007. Louise 2006-02-28T09:12:00Z Doors of Perception 9

John Tahackara has just announced that the next Doors of Perception (Doors 9) will take place in India in 2007.]]> PAS 78 launch PAS 78: Guide to Good Practice in C... http://www.louiseferguson.com/archives/2006_02_01_/archives/cityofbits_archive.htm#114107166475132441 <span style="font-weight:bold;">PAS 78 launch</span><br /><br />PAS 78: Guide to Good Practice in Commissioning Accessible Websites, commissioned by the Disability Rights Commission, will be launched at an event in Hammersmith, London on March 8.<br /><br />..."A very limited number of free places available (sponsored by DRC) and once those have gone the remaining places are subject to a fee. So if you are interested in attending, book your place now. Call BSI on 020 8996 7620" Louise 2006-02-27T20:18:00Z PAS 78 launch

PAS 78: Guide to Good Practice in Commissioning Accessible Websites, commissioned by the Disability Rights Commission, will be launched at an event in Hammersmith, London on March 8.

..."A very limited number of free places available (sponsored by DRC) and once those have gone the remaining places are subject to a fee. So if you are interested in attending, book your place now. Call BSI on 020 8996 7620"]]> Remote controls The Squeezebox 3 is a lovely prod... http://www.louiseferguson.com/archives/2006_02_01_/archives/cityofbits_archive.htm#114106226743279344 <span style="font-weight:bold;">Remote controls</span><br /><br />The <a href="http://www.slimdevices.com/index.html">Squeezebox 3</a> is a lovely product, but I wonder what possessed them with the <a href="http://www.slimdevices.com/pi_remotes.html">remote</a> (left hand side). It's an integral part of the product, but doesn't seem to have been treated with the same tlc as the Squeezebox unit. No rhyme or reason to relative button size, shape and position. Following a formula perhaps? Feels tacky. Lessons to be learned from the Sky remote here... Louise 2006-02-27T17:40:00Z Remote controls

The Squeezebox 3 is a lovely product, but I wonder what possessed them with the remote (left hand side). It's an integral part of the product, but doesn't seem to have been treated with the same tlc as the Squeezebox unit. No rhyme or reason to relative button size, shape and position. Following a formula perhaps? Feels tacky. Lessons to be learned from the Sky remote here...]]> Blog falls apart Yes, the archives are a complete... http://www.louiseferguson.com/archives/2006_02_01_/archives/cityofbits_archive.htm#114106071276757336 <span style="font-weight:bold;">Blog falls apart</span><br /><br />Yes, the archives are a complete mess. I am also, as always, highly dissatisfied with - the lack of - certain developments at Blogger HQ. So what was with the great Google takeover? I'd rather see improvements to the platform than blue hoodies mailed out from Mountain View (blue is not my colour).<br /><br />Thinking about a migration to Wordpress...again. Louise 2006-02-27T17:12:00Z Blog falls apart

Yes, the archives are a complete mess. I am also, as always, highly dissatisfied with - the lack of - certain developments at Blogger HQ. So what was with the great Google takeover? I'd rather see improvements to the platform than blue hoodies mailed out from Mountain View (blue is not my colour).

Thinking about a migration to Wordpress...again.]]> Upcoming vs. Eventful for events In response to m... http://www.louiseferguson.com/archives/2006_02_01_/archives/cityofbits_archive.htm#114105954775955278 <span style="font-weight:bold;">Upcoming vs. Eventful for events</span><br /><br />In response to my last post, about Upcoming, I've just had an email from Mark Vanderbeeken in Turin, who points out that <a href="http://eventful.com/">Eventful</a>'s feature set is better than that offered by <a href="http://upcoming.org/">Upcoming</a>.<br /><br />I haven't had a chance to compare the two yet. And on the other side, I'd suggest that with Yahoo! backing it, Upcoming is likely to improve somewhat. And Upcoming does already have a number of people from this community on board (including those at Yahoo! Europe itself). It also seems a bit of an overhead to post to the both.<br /><br />Decisions, decisions...<br /><br />Postscript. <br />Mark now tells me that Eventful can auto-update Upcoming. Have Yahoo! missed a trick here? Louise 2006-02-27T16:52:00Z Upcoming vs. Eventful for events

In response to my last post, about Upcoming, I've just had an email from Mark Vanderbeeken in Turin, who points out that Eventful's feature set is better than that offered by Upcoming.

I haven't had a chance to compare the two yet. And on the other side, I'd suggest that with Yahoo! backing it, Upcoming is likely to improve somewhat. And Upcoming does already have a number of people from this community on board (including those at Yahoo! Europe itself). It also seems a bit of an overhead to post to the both.

Decisions, decisions...

Postscript.
Mark now tells me that Eventful can auto-update Upcoming. Have Yahoo! missed a trick here?]]> Events calendar After over three years of slog, I... http://www.louiseferguson.com/archives/2006_02_01_/archives/cityofbits_archive.htm#114105682527089228 <span style="font-weight:bold;">Events calendar</span><br /><br />After over three years of slog, I've decided to stop maintaining the events calendar elsewhere on this site. Just no time, and there are other priorities. <br /><br />However, I know that a number of people who did use that calendar are signed up on <a href="http://upcoming.org/">Upcoming</a> - in fact, I've even spotted fellow UX-er Martin Ortlieb there, as well as Joshua Kaufman and Nico Macdonald. And the best solution for all seems to use such a shared calendar system (which is what Joshua, Nico, me, and the US end were debating last year). Otherwise it's just too much hard work for one person.<br /><br />So can I suggest, if you're involved in any of these communities/lists - ethnography, IA, usability, UX, etc.: <br />- if you have or know of an event to post, please post it to Upcoming (as well as anywhere else)<br />- if you're interested in finding out what events are on, please check Upcoming. There's quite an HCI/IA/social software community there already. <br /><br />Please let people know about Upcoming and encourage them to use/post. (Any shared calendar system needs critical mass, posters and users, or it just won't work). That way, the whole cross-posting and intermingling of communities thing, which is what we were trying to achieve before, will survive.<br /><br />I'll aim to post info on events I know about on Upcoming from now on. Louise 2006-02-27T16:00:00Z Events calendar

After over three years of slog, I've decided to stop maintaining the events calendar elsewhere on this site. Just no time, and there are other priorities.

However, I know that a number of people who did use that calendar are signed up on Upcoming - in fact, I've even spotted fellow UX-er Martin Ortlieb there, as well as Joshua Kaufman and Nico Macdonald. And the best solution for all seems to use such a shared calendar system (which is what Joshua, Nico, me, and the US end were debating last year). Otherwise it's just too much hard work for one person.

So can I suggest, if you're involved in any of these communities/lists - ethnography, IA, usability, UX, etc.:
- if you have or know of an event to post, please post it to Upcoming (as well as anywhere else)
- if you're interested in finding out what events are on, please check Upcoming. There's quite an HCI/IA/social software community there already.

Please let people know about Upcoming and encourage them to use/post. (Any shared calendar system needs critical mass, posters and users, or it just won't work). That way, the whole cross-posting and intermingling of communities thing, which is what we were trying to achieve before, will survive.

I'll aim to post info on events I know about on Upcoming from now on.]]> Paul Mercer, Jonathan Ive Slashdot reports today ... http://www.louiseferguson.com/archives/2006_02_01_/archives/cityofbits_archive.htm#114104844245527182 <span style="font-weight:bold;">Paul Mercer, Jonathan Ive</span><br /><br />Slashdot <a href="http://apple.slashdot.org/apple/06/02/27/068242.shtml">reports today</a> a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/27/technology/27mercer.html?_r=1&oref=slogin">New York Times story</a> about the Samsung Z5 portable MP3 player - to appear on US shelves 5 March - and the involvement of Paul Mercer's team. Mercer has done work for Apple.<br /><br />The original iPod concept is looking a little tired now, with limited on-board functionality, poor battery life etc etc. Presumably Mercer's company <a href="http://www.iventor.com/">Iventor</a> doesn't have <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Ive">Jonathan Ive</a> on board (though the company name certainly suggests it). <br /><br />The backend is satisficing stuff. What will count is whether product design and interaction design engage. So how much does who contribute to the final product? Presumably Mercer/Iventor won't be going for Apple's click-wheel interface, unless they want a lively lawsuit on their hands. I'm watching the space with interest. Louise 2006-02-27T13:31:00Z Paul Mercer, Jonathan Ive

Slashdot reports today a New York Times story about the Samsung Z5 portable MP3 player - to appear on US shelves 5 March - and the involvement of Paul Mercer's team. Mercer has done work for Apple.

The original iPod concept is looking a little tired now, with limited on-board functionality, poor battery life etc etc. Presumably Mercer's company Iventor doesn't have Jonathan Ive on board (though the company name certainly suggests it).

The backend is satisficing stuff. What will count is whether product design and interaction design engage. So how much does who contribute to the final product? Presumably Mercer/Iventor won't be going for Apple's click-wheel interface, unless they want a lively lawsuit on their hands. I'm watching the space with interest.]]> My apologies Apologies to regular readers here. I... http://www.louiseferguson.com/archives/2006_02_01_/archives/cityofbits_archive.htm#114104704709542886 <span style="font-weight:bold;">My apologies</span><br /><br />Apologies to regular readers here. I've been hyper-busy recently, not just with clients, but with projects like <a href="http://www.openrightsgroup.org/">Open Rights Group</a>.<br /><br />Hope to resume normal service this week. Louise 2006-02-27T13:29:00Z My apologies

Apologies to regular readers here. I've been hyper-busy recently, not just with clients, but with projects like Open Rights Group.

Hope to resume normal service this week.]]> Yes, Razr is crap Scott Weiss was in town last we... http://www.louiseferguson.com/archives/2006_02_01_/archives/cityofbits_archive.htm#114104676026493048 <span style="font-weight:bold;">Yes, Razr is crap</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.usableproducts.com/whoWeAre/scott.shtml">Scott Weiss</a> was in town last week, talking at <a href="http://www.ukupa.org.uk/">UK UPA</a> on a cross-device/network study his team have carried out recently. Yes, the Motorola Razr came second from bottom in the uability stakes from 13 devices. I'll shut up about this now.<br /><br />Scott has some interesting video footage of people using mobiles. He's still debating how to best set up such lab studies in the future: mounting means non-natural handling but good video. Handheld means natural treatment but probably low-quality video. I think in the next study he's opting for the latter. Louise 2006-02-27T13:22:00Z Yes, Razr is crap

Scott Weiss was in town last week, talking at UK UPA on a cross-device/network study his team have carried out recently. Yes, the Motorola Razr came second from bottom in the uability stakes from 13 devices. I'll shut up about this now.

Scott has some interesting video footage of people using mobiles. He's still debating how to best set up such lab studies in the future: mounting means non-natural handling but good video. Handheld means natural treatment but probably low-quality video. I think in the next study he's opting for the latter.]]> Tonight's ethnography talk fully booked The talk ... http://www.louiseferguson.com/archives/2006_01_01_/archives/cityofbits_archive.htm#113767703216093996 <span style="font-weight:bold;">Tonight's ethnography talk fully booked</span><br /><br />The talk I'm giving tonight at Microsoft House in London is fully booked and has a waiting list of dozens, I believe. Please don't turn up on the off chance of getting in - there's no chance at all. Louise 2006-01-19T13:21:00Z Tonight's ethnography talk fully booked

The talk I'm giving tonight at Microsoft House in London is fully booked and has a waiting list of dozens, I believe. Please don't turn up on the off chance of getting in - there's no chance at all.]]>