I'm not a fan of the phrase "user friendly." I've been a UX professional for fifteen years, focusing on the field of usability. To me, "user friendly" evokes

I'm not a fan of the phrase "user friendly." I've been a UX professional for fifteen years, focusing on the field of usability. To me, "user friendly" evokes images of Microsoft Bob, software "wizards" that leave no room for user control, and chirpy in-dash car systems that overload the user with icons and friendly messages, instead of just getting the usability right in the first place. I prefer the term "user subservient." A good system should be subservient to the user, easy to understand, but ultimately leaving the user in control. Apple and Microsoft go too far towards "user friendly," and the Linux approach veers too far towards user control without usability.