Reorganization

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4 total messages Started by Alex Kirlik Sat, 13 Apr 1991 18:37

#422

Author: Alex Kirlik
Date: Sat, 13 Apr 1991 18:37

48 lines
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In article <OG73CU9@taronga.hackercorp.com> peter@taronga.hackercorp.com (Peter da Silva) writes:
>alex@telecdn.uucp (Alex Laney) writes:
>> This is of course,  way out in left field...
>
>No, it's pretty reasonable actually.
>
>> I would like to put forth the proposal to rename the following newsgroups...
>
>> comp.cog-eng --> comp.software-eng.cognitive OR comp.software-eng.user-interface
>
>How about using the existing comp.sw hierarchy?
>
>	comp.sw.engineering
>	comp.sw.cog-eng

Please, to say that cog-eng is a software issue is similar to saying that
electrical engineering is a radio or TV issue.  It is a historical 
accident (owing to the fact that computer folks were the dominant net
users) that a lot of stuff got placed under the comp hierarchy rather
than some other hierarchy (eng. perhaps).  Besides interface software
design, cog-eng relates to hardware design, documentation, training,
the design of a telephone, a stapler, the layout of you-are-here maps
in shopping malls, curriculum design for 4th grade, where the windshield
wiper in a car should be placed, and virtually any other design problem
where knowledge of human cognition is relevant.

Yes, most, but not all, of the postings in comp.cog-eng concern interface
software, but this is merely an artifact of the current user population.
Ten years down the line with the spread of computer literacy perhaps the
distribution of net users will be more representitive of the distribution
of researchers and practioners in all domains of inquiry.  Maybe by then
we will see top nodes like:

eng.electrical
eng.mechanical
eng.software
eng.cognitive

etc.

Just my two cents,

Alex 

UUCP:	kirlik@chmsr.UUCP
        {backbones}!gatech!chmsr!kirlik
INTERNET:	kirlik@chmsr.gatech.edu

Re: Reorganization

#426

Author: Rich Thomson
Date: Thu, 18 Apr 1991 16:45

25 lines
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In article <26213@hydra.gatech.EDU>
	kirlik@chmsr.gatech.edu (Alex Kirlik) writes:
>[...] Besides interface software
>design, cog-eng relates to hardware design, documentation, training,
>the design of a telephone, a stapler, the layout of you-are-here maps
>in shopping malls [...]

Most of the "you are here" maps I've seen in shopping malls were
obviously "designed" by someone without cognition.  Why else are they
so damned hard to use?   Things like the index being next to useless
unless you already know the name of the store, the "grid" coordinates
not aligned to any grid (might as well be a street address), the "you
are here" marker not shown in a distinctive color from the map (god
forbid if you're color blind), etc.

While I can imagine a cog-eng might be able to do a great job designing
one of these things, they always look like the average fourth grader
could do a better job.

						-- Rich
-- 
  ``Read my MIPS -- no new VAXes!!'' -- George Bush after sniffing freon
	    Disclaimer: I speak for myself, except as noted.
UUCP: ...!uunet!dsd.es.com!rthomson		Rich Thomson
ARPA: rthomson@dsd.es.com			PEXt Programmer

Re: Reorganization

#428

Author: Phil Spelt
Date: Fri, 19 Apr 1991 12:48

44 lines
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In article <1991Apr18.164526.5141@dsd.es.com> rthomson@dsd.es.com (Rich Thomson) writes:
>In article <26213@hydra.gatech.EDU>
>	kirlik@chmsr.gatech.edu (Alex Kirlik) writes:
>>[...] Besides interface software
>>design, cog-eng relates to hardware design, documentation, training,
>>the design of a telephone, a stapler, the layout of you-are-here maps
>>in shopping malls [...]
>
>Most of the "you are here" maps I've seen in shopping malls were
>obviously "designed" by someone without cognition.  Why else are they
>so damned hard to use?   Things like the index being next to useless
>unless you already know the name of the store, the "grid" coordinates
>not aligned to any grid (might as well be a street address), the "you
>are here" marker not shown in a distinctive color from the map (god
>forbid if you're color blind), etc.
>
>While I can imagine a cog-eng might be able to do a great job designing
>one of these things, they always look like the average fourth grader
>could do a better job.
>
>						-- Rich
>-- 
>  ``Read my MIPS -- no new VAXes!!'' -- George Bush after sniffing freon
>	    Disclaimer: I speak for myself, except as noted.
>UUCP: ...!uunet!dsd.es.com!rthomson		Rich Thomson
>ARPA: rthomson@dsd.es.com			PEXt Programmer

That's because cog-eng and human factors are both "just common sense", as
we all know.  Since we all think and learn, we are all, ipso facto, experts
in these two fields, right  <8=)  ?!??!

If you get the impression that this is a FLAME for those who think that way,
you are VERY perceptive!
=============================================================================
MIND.  A mysterious form of matter secreted by the brain.  Its chief activity
consists in the endeavor to asscertain its own nature, the futility of the
attempt being due to the fact that it has nothing but itself to know itself
with.   -- Ambrose Bierce
=============================================================================

Phil Spelt, Cognitive Systems & Human Factors Group  sfp@epm.ornl.gov
============================================================================
Any opinions expressed or implied are my own, IF I choose to own up to them.
============================================================================

Re: Reorganization

#430

Author: Jeff Mann
Date: Mon, 22 Apr 1991 01:49

20 lines
1514 bytes

In article <26213@hydra.gatech.EDU> kirlik@chmsr.gatech.edu (Alex Kirlik) writes:
>
>In article <OG73CU9@taronga.hackercorp.com> peter@taronga.hackercorp.com (Peter da Silva) writes:
>>alex@telecdn.uucp (Alex Laney) writes:
>>> This is of course,  way out in left field...
>>> I would like to put forth the proposal to rename the following newsgroups...
>>> comp.cog-eng --> comp.software-eng.cognitive OR comp.software-eng.user-interface
>
>Please, to say that cog-eng is a software issue is similar to saying that
>electrical engineering is a radio or TV issue.  It is a historical 

Likewise for comp.multi-media - the group discusses all aspects of multi-media,
including hardware and production techniques, etc., and is definitely not a
software discussion group. Please leave it alone.

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