Quotations by:
    Raskin, Jef


Imagine if every Thursday your shoes exploded if you tied them the usual way. This happens to us all the time with computers, and nobody thinks of complaining.

Jef Raskin
Jef Raskin (1943-2005) American computer scientist, writer
“Human Interface Design: Jef Raskin Interview,” Doctor Dobb’s Journal (May 1986)
    (Source)
 
Added on 1-Feb-04 | Last updated 18-Apr-22
Link to this post | No comments
Topics: , , ,
More quotes by Raskin, Jef

If books were sold as software and online recordings are, they would have this legalese up front:

The content of this book is distributed on an ‘as is’ basis, without warranty as to accuracy of content, quality of writing, punctuation, usefulness of the ideas presented, merchantability, correctness or readability of formulae, charts, and figures, or correspondence of (a) the table of contents with the actual contents, (2) page references in the index (if any) with the actual page numbering (if present), and (iii) any illustration with its adjacent caption. Illustrations may have been printed reversed or inverted, the publisher accepts no responsibility for orientation or chirality. Any resemblance of the author or his or her likeness or name to any person, living or dead, or their heirs or assigns, is coincidental; all references to people, places, or events have been or should have been fictionalized and may or may not have any factual basis, even if reported as factual. Similarities to existing works of art, literature, song, or television or movie scripts is pure happenstance. References have been chosen at random from our own catalog. Neither the author(s) nor the publisher shall have any liability whatever to any person, corporation, animal whether feral or domesticated, or other corporeal or incorporeal entity with respect to any loss, damage, misunderstanding, or death from choking with laughter or apoplexy at or due to, respectively, the contents; that is caused or is alleged to be caused by any party, whether directly or indirectly due to the information or lack of information that may or may not be found in this alleged work. No representation is made as to the correctness of the ISBN or date of publication as our typist isn’t good with numbers and errors of spelling and usage are attributable solely to bugs in the spelling and grammar checker in Microsoft Word. If sold without a cover, this book will be thinner than those sold with a cover. You do not own this book, but have acquired only a revocable non-exclusive license to read the material contained herein. You may not read it aloud to any third party. This disclaimer is a copyrighted work of Jef Raskin, first published in 2004, and is distributed ‘as is’, without warranty as to quality of humor, incisiveness of commentary, sharpness of taunt, or aptness of jibe.

Jef Raskin
Jef Raskin (1943-2005) American computer scientist, writer
“If Books Were Sold as Software,” NewsScan.com (18 Aug 2004)
    (Source)
 
Added on 24-Feb-07 | Last updated 18-Apr-22
Link to this post | No comments
Topics: , , , ,
More quotes by Raskin, Jef

Once the product’s task is known, design the interface first; then implement to the interface design.

Jef Raskin
Jef Raskin (1943-2005) American computer scientist, writer
The Humane Interface, 1-5 (2000)
    (Source)
 
Added on 25-Apr-22 | Last updated 1-Jun-22
Link to this post | No comments
Topics: , , , ,
More quotes by Raskin, Jef

Users do not care about what is inside the box, as long as the box does what they need done.

Jef Raskin
Jef Raskin (1943-2005) American computer scientist, writer
The Humane Interface, 1-5 (2000)
    (Source)
 
Added on 10-May-22 | Last updated 1-Jun-22
Link to this post | No comments
Topics: , , , , ,
More quotes by Raskin, Jef

As far as the customer is concerned, the interface is the product.

Jef Raskin
Jef Raskin (1943-2005) American computer scientist, writer
The Humane Interface, 1-5 (2000)
    (Source)
 
Added on 15-Jun-22 | Last updated 15-Jun-22
Link to this post | No comments
Topics: , , ,
More quotes by Raskin, Jef

An interface is humane if it is responsive to human needs and considerate of human frailties.

Jef Raskin
Jef Raskin (1943-2005) American computer scientist, writer
The Humane Interface, 1-6 (2000)
    (Source)
 
Added on 21-Jun-22 | Last updated 21-Jun-22
Link to this post | No comments
Topics: , , , , ,
More quotes by Raskin, Jef

Have you ever noticed that there are no Maytag user groups? Nobody needs a mutual support group to run a washing machine. You just put the clothes in, punch the button, and they get clean. To do information processing, I don’t want hardware and software; what I really want is an appliance to do my tasks.

Jef Raskin
Jef Raskin (1943-2005) American computer scientist, writer
Interview in Susan Lammers, Programmers At Work (1986)
    (Source)
 
Added on 11-Jul-22 | Last updated 11-Jul-22
Link to this post | No comments
Topics: , , ,
More quotes by Raskin, Jef