[Sigia-l] Timeline

[Eric Reiss]

Dear Scott,

Thanks for explaining the background for the EMP project. Alas, I
simply clicked around the site without the benefit of your detailed
knowledge. As always, context is important, which is why this
offering should probably not have been put on the Web, at least not
in its present form. This reminds me vaguely of 1995-96 when many of
my clients wanted me to repurpose diskette and CD-based multimedia
for the Web – no easy task.

You mention that the collection is more or less a hodge-podge of Paul
Allen’s personal memorabilia. Therefore, I assume the timeline
function is really basically window dressing – an excuse rather than
a means to an end. If this is the case, I wouldn’t call attention to
the site when someone asks for examples of good timelines. This has
nothing to do with whether or not the collection has social value
(clearly it does), it just means a timeline is not an appropriate way
to catalog and display the individual artifacts.

The procedure museum visitors were/are expected to go through seems
inordinately complicated. Personally, I still like little signs next
to things in a exhibition. Did I understand correctly that people
were actually expected to bookmark items in a handheld device and
then go somewhere else to download/access the information? Yikes!

You wrote, ”Lastly, if you got bored, I would suggest it is because
the content may not interest you.”

That’s a cheap shot and a bad excuse. The truth is, I’m actually VERY
interested in  the subject. In fact, I’m a member of ASCAP and am a
recognized authority on vintage sound in gramophone and phonograph
circles (search for Compleat Talking Machine). No, Scott, I got bored
because I couldn’t figure out the interface. I couldn’t manage to
scroll the timeline, only shove it around a bit. I couldn’t find much
of anything before 1920, despite the line’s start in 1900. I couldn’t
read the text for old posters because I could zoom, but couldn’t
resize my windows. I couldn’t hear the music because the interface
didn’t like my media player.

The line between entertainment and irritation is extremely fine. From
a usability point of view I give this app pretty poor marks. If EMP
was my client, I’d recommend that they make it work or pull the plug.
Status quo isn't making the grade. And frankly, I’m surprised
plumbdesign hasn’t offered to help, since I think this reference may
be doing them more harm than good.

Hope this clarifies my brief comment at the end of my initial mail.

Best regards,
Eric

www.e-reiss.com
copenhagen, denmark