Usability Myths in Movies

Jakob Neilsen touches on computer usability in the movies and finds a lot of bloopers. I remember laughing out loud at Jurassic Park's security system supposedly analyzed instantly by a Unix-aware 12-year-old.

Beyond Jakob's article, I am continually amused by the disparity between what problems are easy or hard to solve with the computers on Star Trek. Of course, that's not a usability issue, but rather a believability one.

Jakob's predicts two problems from the spew of bad information on the use and capabilities of computers from the movies: too much focus and funding of bad user interface ideas, and users that blame themselves when they encounter problems making computers work for them. Add to this the already known problem of people that buy computers with no idea what they can or cannot do, what is easy or hard, and what one should cost.

Josh Poulson

Posted Monday, Dec 18 2006 10:52 AM

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Not to mention the false expectations films can give to CEOs of investment banks, prompting them to begin to throw the laptop at you when the url for their favourite site has moved.

James G.

Posted Sunday, Mar 4 2007 11:27 AM

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