Humane Interface, The: New Directions for Designing Interactive Systems

The Importance of Fundamentals

One person, one computer.

—Apple Computer slogan

Imagine that you have just boarded an airliner resplendent in its livery: fitted with a wide choice of video and audio for every glove-soft, leather-covered, oversized seat; its galleys provisioned with fine food and drink. You take your seat and look out the freshly cleaned large window. With a sigh of anticipation for a particularly pleasant flight, you reach into a small compartment in front of you to see what is there. A not-too-small bottle of your favorite beverage comes to hand first, followed by a little booklet about this remarkable airliner.

As the flight attendants swing the doors shut and you settle in, you read the booklet. You learn that the aircraft ...