Re:Minimizing Complexity In User Interfaces
by berntb on Thursday October 08, 2009 @10:35AM
(#869045)
You and 'toadpipe' are probably correct. I'll argue the point anyway, to see if it could be made to work:
Consider that the scripts would run on the web server. That means they would be published and used by other users... (After a bit of analysis, so they don't do anything destructive.)
And charge money from users that really want their scripts to be private.
Just make certain that there is a script language defined for the web app framework -- and an extensible object model for the local web site's data. (Again, Applescript. But not that syntax!)
Re:Minimizing Complexity In User Interfaces
by ahoyhere on Thursday October 08, 2009 @10:55AM
(#869089)
Then the question should be:
Why?
Re:Minimizing Complexity In User Interfaces
by berntb on Thursday October 08, 2009 @12:16PM
(#869286)
I thought that was obvious from the starting point. Lacking features is a problem for large subsets of users.
This would be a way to add functionality (and possibly to integrate with other services, so you e.g. could do "legal" XSS.)
1. No one will do it.
2. Even people who do know how to program have a special aversion to JavaScript, especially.
3. Almost no one is equipped (or willing to invest the time/effort) to analyze their work and come up with a process that is best for them.
A typical person is about as self-aware as a box of rocks. Even particularly smart, savvy, successful people. It takes a lot of work to get real insight out of them in terms of work processes. And impossible to get them to generate novel ideas for solving those problems.
More importantly, to design great software you have to understand not just business processes, but software itself, and the human animal (psychology, sociology).
That is an extraordinary amount of extra crap to expect somebody to do, when they just want to get their work done.
This is born out wherever you see "lay people" creating their own solutions. Ever worked in an organization that powers itself on Excel? It's not only not pretty in a technical sense, but they never, ever, ever do a good job, even within the constraints of what is possible with Excel. And they also never think to question if there could be a better way.
So, that's what people like me are FOR.
All this crap happens to be my passion.