IE7 Pushed Update: Force a UI change on your users
By Eddie Lopez. Thursday, 27. July 2006, 15:40:51
via Slashdot -a casual glance at the comments (didn't look too hard), I didn't find one single "on-topic" post, so just read this instead:C|Net
Interesting approach- force a User Interface change on everyone. Even if Microsoft gives a brief tour of new features and UI tutorial, most users are going jump right in expecting a security update at best, and will be surprised when the UI has significantly changed. "Where's the favorites menu?" Most users that aren't on the cutting edge and hip to browser development will be in the dark when they get this new UI in front of them. Sure the address bar and most of the icons are the same, but it's the subtle differences that we (on the cutting edge) notice that are going to frustrate most other users.
They have to switch over *some* time, but this "cold-turkey" approach seems to be overly tramatic.
It would be a good chance for alternative browsers Opera and Firefox to shine though. If a user feels IE7 is just too "different" and they are forced to learn a UI regardless, it might as well be with that new-fangled "Opera" they've been hearin' so much about.
Interesting approach- force a User Interface change on everyone. Even if Microsoft gives a brief tour of new features and UI tutorial, most users are going jump right in expecting a security update at best, and will be surprised when the UI has significantly changed. "Where's the favorites menu?" Most users that aren't on the cutting edge and hip to browser development will be in the dark when they get this new UI in front of them. Sure the address bar and most of the icons are the same, but it's the subtle differences that we (on the cutting edge) notice that are going to frustrate most other users.
They have to switch over *some* time, but this "cold-turkey" approach seems to be overly tramatic.
It would be a good chance for alternative browsers Opera and Firefox to shine though. If a user feels IE7 is just too "different" and they are forced to learn a UI regardless, it might as well be with that new-fangled "Opera" they've been hearin' so much about.
WIDGETIZE
Dan Alexandru # 27. July 2006, 16:29
With comments from our Thomas Ford.
I've read (can't find news source) Microsoft already released a tool available to block automatic delivery of the new browser version to businesses that aren't ready for it.
The linked article mentiones this in the future tense, and justifies it as Microsoft's reaction to the criticism MS received when it pushed out Service Pack 2 for Windows XP.
I think most users are reluctant to change the way they understand the UI of Windows apps. And it's Microsoft's fault. (Would you like to save? [yes] [no] [cancel] VS. What to do? [Save] [Discard] [Cancel])
Old IE7 review http://glazman.org/ie7b2/
Eddie Lopez # 27. July 2006, 17:18
It's my position that Joe User see "Internet Explorer 7 Update is Available" in a little balloon in the lower right, he will click install without even thinking of "do I want to block this?" and even walk through the tutorial paying little to no attention to what's really going on... then get hit with a new UI and say "wait a minute? Waa? What just happened? Can I see that tutorial again?"
Sure businesses and the like can install the block when they have an IT team etc, but I was just thinking about the home user.