[Sigia-l] Tog on iPhone

[Ziya Oz]

"Bruce Tognazzini was hired at Apple by Steve Jobs and Jef Raskin in 1978,
where he remained for 14 years, founding the Apple Human Interface Group.
He has been a harsh critic of many of Apple¹s later innovations, including
the notorious round mouse (³farcical²) and the Macintosh Dock (see: Top 10
Reasons the Apple Dock Sucks).  He is almost as stingy with his compliments
as his partner, Don Norman. That makes this particular column, largely
positive, most unusual."

<http://www.asktog.com/columns/070iPhoneFirstLook.html>

I often disagree with Tog when he comments on things Apple, suspecting him
of carrying historical baggage and a bit of a vendetta. So I read this
article (with the improbable title; "The iPhone User Experience: A First
Look" since, clearly, he hasn't used it yet) with low expectations. Lo and
behold, he starts out with historical minutiae about why Apple can't take
credit for iPhone "innovations," how it's all been done before and why he
himself deserves the credit, etc.

Then, this:

"The origins of these bits and pieces, however, is not what¹s important
about the iPhone.  What¹s important is that, for the first time, so many
great ideas and processes have been assembled in one device, iterated until
they squeak, and made accessible to normal human beings.  That¹s the genius
of Steve Jobs; that¹s the genius of Apple."

Sure, he then raises a number of fair questions that would please Eric. But
overall (in an unusual display of lucidity :-) he gets it.

This is exactly why I believe the *promise* of iPhone is so way, way beyond
what many people have offered as their pet peeve in what's otherwise a
version 0.9 product. Worth your time to read.


Ziya
Client <- Designer -> User