I don't think that it's possible, in this little space, to give tips which would make it possible to design good GUIs (the question is as big as "how can I write good programs?"). But I can give pointers to some helpful books:
This is a beautiful and interesting concept, but isn't this really just a dressed up command line interface? This is a feature I would absolutely love to have, but I don't see it replacing the menu in the form demoed for the simple reason that this violates one of the core principles of user-centered design: visibility. If the user has no visual indication of what is possible within the system, how can we expect them to learn the interface?
One super simple example of this: http://cl.ly/082D441E2D0L1l3d3g2Y
Most readers of Hacker News are probably aware of the calculator feature in the Spotlight in Mac OSX, but if I had a dollar for every time I've blown someone's mind by showing it to them, I'd be counting money right now rather than writing this comment. The bottom line is, visibility is an extremely important design principle, because it informs the user what they can do within a system, so hiding possibilities is probably not a good idea.
For detailed reading on the principle of visibility, check out Donald Norman's Phenomenal The Design of Everyday Things, which I firmly believe should be required reading for anyone thinking about building anything: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385267746/ref=as_li_ss_tl?... [yes, it is an affiliate link]
alt text http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/719KFS67JBL._SL500_AA300_.gif
The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman.
I don't think that it's possible, in this little space, to give tips which would make it possible to design good GUIs (the question is as big as "how can I write good programs?"). But I can give pointers to some helpful books:
The Design of Everyday Things by Donald A. Norman
The Humane Interface by Jef Raskin
One super simple example of this: http://cl.ly/082D441E2D0L1l3d3g2Y
Most readers of Hacker News are probably aware of the calculator feature in the Spotlight in Mac OSX, but if I had a dollar for every time I've blown someone's mind by showing it to them, I'd be counting money right now rather than writing this comment. The bottom line is, visibility is an extremely important design principle, because it informs the user what they can do within a system, so hiding possibilities is probably not a good idea.
For detailed reading on the principle of visibility, check out Donald Norman's Phenomenal The Design of Everyday Things, which I firmly believe should be required reading for anyone thinking about building anything: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385267746/ref=as_li_ss_tl?... [yes, it is an affiliate link]
You try so hard to come across as if you had a remote clue about the UX field, yet you want to debate one of the most basic premises?
May I suggest to review the standard works (you have them on your shelf, I know you do);
http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Make-Me-Think-%20Usability/dp/032...
http://www.amazon.com/dp/156205810X/
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0385267746/
Somehow you must have forgotten, well, everything, since you last read them.
That's okay, happens to the best of us. However, you might come across a little less unarmed if you could at least memorize the title of Krug's book.
Thanks for playing anyways.
The Design of Everyday Things http://www.amazon.com/Design-Everyday-Things-Donald-Norman/d...