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Message filtering, object-oriented word-processing, software design

The netnews hierarchy encourages a very high level of pre-sorting among postings. Killfiles can supplement this, inefficiently. The newsreader 'strn' is the current state-of-the-art in complex killfiling. To go beyond this will probably require that posters 'tag' keywords, and also that a system for message-rating be agreed to.

The next stage in the evolution of word processing must be to treat words, phrases, concepts, etc. as objects.

Interface design might be transformed by analysing the tasks the software will be used for, and having the software use this analysis to anticipate the user's needs. (Current software offers instead many 'micro-commands' that the user must combine into sequences, or at best into 'macros'.)


Resources

news.software.readers

Some specs for an object-oriented word processor are available at ftp.mcs.com/mcsnet.users/jorn/decentwrite.txt

Jutta Degener's (Germany) specs for a dream email-reader

Don Hopkins' very excellent archive of user interface materials

A very interesting look at spatial metaphors in interface design

The students.chi mailinglist is dedicated to the Human-Computer Interaction field, focusing on the research, design, development and evaluation of human-computer communication and interaction. The ii.chi mailinglist is more specifically about intelligent interfaces. To be added to either, send a request to Nick Briggs at Registrar.chi@xerox.com. (I have no direct knowledge of this list!)


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