The best Interface is no interface - Golden Krishna
Why I chose to read this:
I went to the massive Foyles in London and browsed the UI/UX area, after seeing all sorts of books I would never read, this book grabbed my eye's attention because of the simple white design. I started reading it in the shop, it made me laugh, so I bought it.
Style of writing:
Golden Krishna's writing is very easy to read, it speaks directly to the reader, and is in some ways crude. He is moslty sarcastic, so it kind of distracts the reader from the real issue and makes them laugh. Sometime I drifted away with the humour forgetting to think if I agree with what I'm reading. The design if the book spacious simple and comfortable to read, this is partly what made me finish it so quickly.
Opinion:
Having had very little notion of what user graphical interface design and user experience design is, it did educate me in that sector, and I found it was clearly explained at that start. What Golden Krishna explains is that there has been a craze for screen based interfaces in new technology which all of a sudden "innovated" the products. He argues that there isn't always a need for a screen, and that it can be a distraction, saying the technology is at its most efficient when it is invisible. Being in a very open source/ free software environment, I know many people would disagree with him on many points, and would argue that technology being invisible gives more power to the designer and less to the user. Data privacy is also another issue that invisibility invades in a user. Golden admits and acknowledges to all these problems at the very of the books, which of course reassures the reader thinking about these things. I don't know where to position myself, in the books all his points sound so convincing, but maybe because of his style of writing I got drifted away, then when I listen to the critics on the other side, I also agree. Then I thought to myself, everyone is talking in such general terms, I think it really depends on the product, the company, the designer or the user. After all I do own apple products, whose aim is to simplify the design to the maximum and make their products user friendly, however some argue that the technology is dumbed down and hidden from the user. I hear both points.
How this can relate to my button project:
A button is design for a single (or limited) functions, a button will act out a function that is configured to it. A physical tangible button is made for a human to press or push at his will (hopefully). We cannot see the path that is set between the button and the function of the machine, it is a chain reaction, a person must set off by pressing. In what cases to we need to be able to control what goes on in the instructions, is its to automate to simplify? to turn on or off?