sugarenia.com

This is not a real post, more of a ranting :

Has anyone got in their Gmail the “Delete” buttons the Google guys announced recently?

Because I still haven’t seen any. And frankly, I’m kinda pissed. Because even if your mail storage is up to 1TB, sometime you just want to delete, ya know what I’m sayin’?

To be honest, it’s the first time in my post-Google life that I’m pissed with the Google guys. Wow. There is a first time for everything, after all.

I don’t know why this happens, I read somewhere that those features are released only in US-GB users. Is it true? Do you have a Gmail delete button? (other then the Greasemonkey one)

(while waiting for the Gmail delete button, check this)

gmail delete button, gmail, google

Clearly, some people up there at MSN design compartment have some issues…

Let’s set aside the fact that Hotmail uses the horrendous storage limit of 2MB (seriously, what are they thinking, especially when other free e-mail providers give 1-2 GB minimum, see Gmail and Yahoo!). Let’s set aside the fact that recently, the almighty Hotmail spam filter went absolutely nuts and keeps repeatedly blocking all my absolutely safe e-mails ‘just because’. Let’s set aside the fact that …well… it’s Hotmail.

Have you ever noticed the way this service is designed? It defies one of the most important rules of design : people in general tend to look at a webpage from top to bottom, from left to right (that goes for non-arabs). That’s why most web designs utilise the top-left corner, the first thing a user notices upon entering a web page, to display company logos. That’s right, most of us look top to bottom, left to right. Keep that in mind.

So let’s have a look at Hotmail design issues :

1. Important assets as “Options” and “Help” are located at the far right side of the window, over a colourful ad, using no special focus mechanisms whatsoever. Check out how it looks at my 19” monitor :

Waaaaaaaaay too right

2. Let’s try to download an attached file. Open the e-mail…done. Click on the attachment link…done. Check for virii…done. Ermm…download link? Button? Whatever? Hmm…*confused* Oh! There! I found it :

Is it a link? Is it a button? No! It’s a menu option!

3. Finally…let’s look at the code :

Ermmm…tables? No, thanks, I’ll pass.

Seriously. If people at MSN want anyone to consider Hotmail as a remotely serious service, they should reconsider. And these things aren’t just for web experts : if I want to spot any usability issues, I put forward my naive self, a healthy 50% of me. And that drastically innovative menu option button is a definite no-no.

I’ll stop here and let you discover other Hotmail issues. I’m fed up with this service and no longer consider it a viable e-mail solution, but I’m obliged to use it because of mistakes of the past. *sigh*

hotmail, usability, e-mail

Brainstorming is an organized approach for producing ideas by letting the mind think without interruption.

Wikipedia.org

Either if you are a designer, advertiser or computer professional, or you exercise your profession in any other creativity-related field, you know brainstorming. You’ve used is more than once.

Brainstorming is the fun and somehow intimidating procedure where we search for ideas. We start from an aspect of the product/service and we reach a final and hopefully witty conclusion, which will help us develop our idea in the most innovative way.

I have three recommendations for you :

• A sample solitary brainstorming procedure : Ivan at creativebits.org showcases a pretty simple and cool brainstorming technique. It’s fun, it’s simple, it’s like a game and I’m sure it will help you come up with some great ideas, whatever your field. Ivan also analyzes his creativity techniques in a well formed list here, I’m sure you’ll find it interesting.
• As a natural evolution of previous idea, Joe Zandstra developed a sample beta web application that helps you automate the brainstorming procedure : MouseBrains v1.0b. It’s still in beta, and it may produce some seemingly wacky results, but dare to be different and choose one of the wackiest ideas you find. It may do the trick.
• Finally, a Windows application that may help you : FreeMind. FreeMind is a “mind mapping software”. Practically, that means that you use it as a mapping application to put down your ideas in (digital) paper. Much better than traditional pen’n'paper techniques that ALWAYS come up in the dust bin accidentally. It’s somehow peculiar to use, but still it may help you in certain situations. See some screenshots before you download it, it’s well worth the puny MBs that requires on your hard disk.

brainstorming, freemind, mousebrains

I feel really, really tired at the moment.

Work + university exams + final uni project = dead Sugar.

So spare my brief absence.

In the meantime, play with this.