re: Interesting navigational metaphors?

david_cordeiro@wbntul021.wiltel.com
Tue, 20 Dec 1994 15:16:30 -0800

| The minute you do this you can end up with a dependency on
| color. Now that you have a dependency on color, you've eliminated
| color-impaired users and equipment from your customer base.
|
| How do you suggest you control the color on a VT100
| terminal running Web mode under Emacs?

Speaking as a color-impaired person (how politically correct <g>) I
don't believe your concerns are warranted. Most developers should be
smart enough to offer multiple navigation tools. (i.e. a color setting
would be irrelevant on a monochrome system).

If you are using a text browser you cannot access graphics, but that is
not an argument for me to exclude graphics from my server.

This does, however, raise a some questions I would like to address to
this list.

When developing Web pages (or interactive media in general) should we
aim for the high-end, middle or most basic user?

Should this level be determined primarily by:

Bandwidth: T1 -- 56K -- Dialup
Workstation: Penitent -- 386 -- Terminal
Software: Mosaic/Netscape -- Emacs/Lynch
User: Inet Jock -- WWW Veteran -- Neophyte?

Is it possible to adequately be all things to all users? Graphics rich
and yet text accessible? Fast downloads and substantial content?

What are the relative costs of

a) accomodating all users
b) alienating low-end users
c) falling behind the competition in high-end features?

David Cordeiro
WilTel
http://www.wiltel.com