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And I hope this actually reinforces the point I made. If it looks to me like this did not take place, it is because I obviously don't understand the forces and

And I hope this actually reinforces the point I made. If it looks to me like this did not take place, it is because I obviously don't understand the forces and constraints upon the solution. Perhaps I don't fully understand the problem they are trying to solve. If they did an excellent job, then they knew something that is not obvious from looking at the design competition, which is why I suggest that being involved in the full process is so important.

ThomPete 16y ago
Well let me give you a pointer on what and for who they are solving problems. I think the numbers are something along the lines of this: 90% of users on Skype don't have much more than 5 contacts in their contact list. 95% of all messages are. "Can I call you?"
- gridspy 16y ago
  Now THAT is an enlightening comment. Another great example of Power User (us) vs 'The General Public'
- michaelbuckbee 16y ago
  That's really interesting and speaks to some of the issues with having a "Screenshot" redesign contest. If 95% of all messages are "Can I call you?" it seems like Skype should change around the default behavior for starting and acknowledging an incoming call. The ability for someone else to interact with my computer and make it suddenly start making noise "ringing" is a skeumorphism from when there weren't any other modes of communication available. I will say that one thing the new Skype does that I'm sure benefits many users is the fact that the new Skype no longer loses windows (the video, the chat, contacts) behind other application. This is something that is addressed (maybe brutally) by the new version, but I think is still an improvement for the vast majority of users.
- lkozma 16y ago
  "95% of all messages are. "Can I call you?" It's hard to separate cause and effect though, 95% of my messages are "Can I call you?", sometimes repeated 3-4 times, simply because the system often fails to reliably transmit anything longer without messages being lost, arriving out of order, etc. It is clearly hard to observe the users scientifically when the interface affects their behaviour.
  - ThomPete 16y ago
    Sure but even if it was only 70% or 80% it would still be important.
- prebrov 16y ago
  I actually don't see the point in the whole conceptual redesign of the application if that's the case. Scenario you're implying was just perfectly implemented in Skype as it was, on a Mac at least.

ThomPete 16y ago

Well let me give you a pointer on what and for who they are solving problems. I think the numbers are something along the lines of this: 90% of users on Skype don't have much more than 5 contacts in their contact list. 95% of all messages are. "Can I call you?"

gridspy 16y ago
Now THAT is an enlightening comment. Another great example of Power User (us) vs 'The General Public'
michaelbuckbee 16y ago
That's really interesting and speaks to some of the issues with having a "Screenshot" redesign contest. If 95% of all messages are "Can I call you?" it seems like Skype should change around the default behavior for starting and acknowledging an incoming call. The ability for someone else to interact with my computer and make it suddenly start making noise "ringing" is a skeumorphism from when there weren't any other modes of communication available. I will say that one thing the new Skype does that I'm sure benefits many users is the fact that the new Skype no longer loses windows (the video, the chat, contacts) behind other application. This is something that is addressed (maybe brutally) by the new version, but I think is still an improvement for the vast majority of users.
lkozma 16y ago
"95% of all messages are. "Can I call you?" It's hard to separate cause and effect though, 95% of my messages are "Can I call you?", sometimes repeated 3-4 times, simply because the system often fails to reliably transmit anything longer without messages being lost, arriving out of order, etc. It is clearly hard to observe the users scientifically when the interface affects their behaviour.
- ThomPete 16y ago
  Sure but even if it was only 70% or 80% it would still be important.
prebrov 16y ago
I actually don't see the point in the whole conceptual redesign of the application if that's the case. Scenario you're implying was just perfectly implemented in Skype as it was, on a Mac at least.