Re: [OS:N:] Developing for developers and users

[Matt Frye <mattfrye gmail com>]

> Perhaps OSS needs to start thinking about user forums where interface
> issues get looked at with real non-technical users.  

This is precisely the point I was attempting to make when this thread
began.  I can't say it much better than this comment on Nielsen's
thoughts from Slashdot, rated "Insightful."

>Don't generalize "usability" -- it's multipart...
>
<snip>
>To simply say "Don't expect usability from a programmer" may sound
cool, but it's incorrect. >It's incorrect because usability is a
multipart issue, comprising a large body of >domain-independent
elements that underpin access to one or more domain-specific object
>sets and relationships.
<snip>
Ref: http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=119000&cid=10048603

As always, I encourage you to read the entire reference.  

Anyway, the onus is on software companies to widen the research and
experience of everyone in the development cycle.  Sure, it takes more
money, etc, and I'm not even including things like outsourcing
development overseas, although that has an obvious effect, but I see
it as part of the development to usability equation.

Matt Frye