Challenge: to do something like this in a revlet #2

[Richard Gaskin]

Richmond wrote:

> Richard Gaskin wrote:
>> Richmond wrote:
>>
>>> http://www.ovomaltineforever.com.br/
>>>
>>> Cripes, I am getting cheesed-off with the
>>> ubiquitous Flash.
>>
>> I don't mind Flash, but splash pages went out with 2002 and that one 
>> runs waaaay too long even by 20th century standards.
>>
>> Jared Spool of UIE offers a simple recipe for evaluating the 
>> usefulness of things like intro pages:
>> <http://www.info-arch.org/lists/sigia-l/0103/0136.html>
>>
>> :)
>>
>> We use splash screens in desktop apps only because the app needs time 
>> to initialize and we need to give the user something attractive to 
>> look at until it's ready for work.
>>
>> I've seen some apps actually delay their boot time so they can display 
>> their splash screen longer.  I don't quite understand that; the user 
>> didn't boot the app to look at a splash screen, and users don't go to 
>> the Ovaltine web site to look at colored blobs dancing around.
>>
>> -- 
>>  
> I eventually got round to reading Jared Spool's stuff about Splash pages;
> it puts things on the spot very effectively.
> 
> NOW:
> 
> All the programs I build have a Title Page, with:
> 
> 1. Title.
> 
> 2. Decorative Element (not too much 'in the face').
> 
> 3. GET STARTED button.
> 
> 4. QUIT button.
> 
> For kids I have been known to throw in an animated GIF just
> to grab their attention (when, let's face it, they are about to
> do some fairly boring exercise where Richmond hammers
> home some grammatical point).
> 
> I do NOT like programs that launch straight into their main
> interface that do not easily slot into the known categories
> of application (e.g. Word-processing, image manipulation,
> audio-manipulation) because there has to be a place to
> display any Copyright (or Copyleft) information and anything
> else end-users should know without taking a 'bite' out of
> the main interface.

Agreed.  Welcome screens are far more useful than splash screens.  Rev's 
Adobe-flavored one is a good model, and I've been adopting similar 
welcome screens for some time.  Much more helpful than just dumping the 
user into a blank slate as if to say, "Here ya' go, you're on your own 
now." ;)


> The reason I dislike splash screens is two-fold:
> 
> 1. They are very often a place for programmers to show
>     off visual pyrotechnics which only serve as distractions
>     and cheese-off end-users.
> 
> 2. Splash screens display a lack of respect to end-users
>      insofar as they take control away from them.

Yep.  Splash screens can be useful to let the user know what's happening 
while the app is setting up, but as soon as that's done they should go 
away as quickly as possible and let the user get to work.

--
  Richard Gaskin
  Fourth World
  Rev training and consulting: http://www.fourthworld.com
  Webzine for Rev developers: http://www.revjournal.com
  revJournal blog: http://revjournal.com/blog.irv