Starting from scratch (as it were), if I'm going to go out and buy a new cable to connect my laptop to my monitor, what cable should I ideally go looking for?
[more inside]
posted by segatakai
on Apr 12, 2013 -
9 answers
One of my colleagues in a school thinks I'm a wizard. Thus she thinks I can make this interface. I told her it sounds terrifyingly complicated and that no off-the-shelf product does what she wants. Am I wrong?
[more inside]
posted by argybarg
on Feb 14, 2013 -
12 answers
Is there a website that provides a quick way to keep track of books I have read?
[more inside]
posted by mai
on Dec 12, 2012 -
14 answers
Please help me get rid of frustrating audio interface noise! I have a new pc and a presonus firestudio mobile audio interface. When I plug in the firestudio via firewire there is a pulsating sound and some buzzing sound.
[more inside]
posted by niruniru
on Nov 30, 2012 -
10 answers
I'm currently working on an app that does search in a limited domain (travel). The current interface is via a dialog textbox, where the user enters sentences or phrases as queries. While natural language offers lots of flexibility I'm realizing this kind of interface is inherently problematic. First, parsing the natural language can be tricky as there are many possibilities. Second, and probably more important, it's a blind interface. We have various types of data and functionality on how to search and present it. It becomes a kind of guessing game whether the user can form a search query that will hit our data and search capabilities. Unless they happen to hit pay dirt it becomes frustrating for the user. At the same time it feels like the user isn't seeing the best of what we can do for them.
I'm sure I'm not the first to run into this. Do you have experience/ideas/research on how to improve/replace such an interface?
Thanks
posted by blueyellow
on Nov 17, 2012 -
10 answers
I have finally been forced to switch from Office 2003 to Office 2010, and I am attempting to come to terms with the Ribbon interface.
In the built-in Ribbon tabs, items are separated by short vertical "separator" lines, but there does not appear to be a way to insert these separators into custom tabs.
[more inside]
posted by alby
on Sep 29, 2012 -
3 answers
A Mac app in which I want to force-hide the top menu bars and bottom status bar (not possible natively within the app): what third-party utilities or UI-hacking tools could help?
[more inside]
posted by kalapierson
on Aug 10, 2012 -
1 answer
How to set up a simple usability test station? I'm thinking a laptop with the webcam recording the user's face + a screen recorder. Anything like this already out there?
[more inside]
posted by Tom-B
on Feb 20, 2012 -
4 answers
Seeking advice on good tools for automating the maintenance of a professional flickr site, and ways to make an interface to it.
[more inside]
posted by mortaddams
on Jul 21, 2011 -
4 answers
I'm looking for recommendations for equipment for my home audio recording setup (using GarageBand). Specifically, I want an audio interface capable of 24-bit recording with midi and microphone inputs. Many more details about my setup within!
[more inside]
posted by hansbrough
on Jun 19, 2011 -
6 answers
I frequently need to schedule phone calls across multiple international time zones. Can you recommend an online meeting planner or world clock with a pleasant Web 2.0-style interface? All the ones Google throws up have ugly design, clunky menus, pop-up ads, buggy java-based clocks and other olde-webbe annoyances. I use them every day and they drive me mad. Surely there's a modern alternative that's clean, fast and functional?
posted by embrangled
on Jan 31, 2011 -
9 answers
Quick question...if I purchase a domain name (ie greaselightning.com) through Wordpress, can I transfer it to a different cms (?) in the future if i am not happy with wordpress' performance? For instance could I go to Joomla and take my name with me or does wordpresss somehow own it? This and any other tips you have for a new website creator/user would be greatly appreciated.
posted by madmamasmith
on Jan 7, 2011 -
6 answers
I'm trying to find the words for a certain principle in user experience design. It's similar to "chartjunk" vs. "data ink" as described by Edward Tufte.
Better explanation inside:
[more inside]
posted by RobotHero
on Nov 18, 2010 -
11 answers
Is there a name for the UI element with two list columns, and an add and a remove button between them that transfer list items from one column to the other? Is there a good free javascript implementation out there that would be easyish to integrate into a Spring Surf (Alfresco Share) application?
posted by Riki tiki
on Sep 22, 2010 -
5 answers
I do occasional audio recording with GarageBand. I just recently upgraded from a G4 tower to an Intel iMac w/Snow Leopard. I settled for analog audio in through the mic input on the G4 but I think I want to step up to digital input. I have an analog mixer, tube preamps, effects pedals, etc. so I don't need to have them in the audio interface. Midi I/O would also be nice but not necessary. What are my choices in a basic 2-channel Firewire(800)/USB(2.0) audio interface?
posted by tommasz
on Aug 2, 2010 -
5 answers
Can I construct a good, reliable, working setup for recording demos for under $500? My MacBook Pro and Presonus Firebox are failing hard.
[more inside]
posted by tmcw
on Feb 19, 2010 -
10 answers
Can you help me find a recent blog post arguing that less detailed icons are better at representing broad concepts?
[more inside]
posted by centerweight
on Feb 4, 2010 -
6 answers
What user interface 'technique' is available (or may come to be available) on touch screen based devices that replicates the 'mouseover' function of a traditional computer?
[more inside]
posted by woodblock100
on Feb 1, 2010 -
20 answers
Which budget audio interfaces work with XP and Snow leopard? Is there a clear best-in-class at the moment?
[more inside]
posted by Cantdosleepy
on Jan 13, 2010 -
3 answers
Is there a way to convert an old eee701 into something with a web-widget interface, like a Chumby or an AndroidOS-like device?
[more inside]
posted by bartleby
on Dec 8, 2009 -
7 answers
I recently got a new computer with Vista (I'm behind the curve, I know) and I'd like to know if I can make the background of the taskbar transparent. Google produces a number of weird and contradictory answers.
[more inside]
posted by Pope Guilty
on Sep 12, 2009 -
3 answers
Home recording filter: Hubby has a great new Macbook Pro, purchased per your advice. What type of 8-channel interface should he buy?
[more inside]
posted by raisingsand
on Aug 30, 2009 -
8 answers
I'm looking for user interface shops or departments within companies that do a particular kind of work, and that hire a particular kind of role (even if they have no jobs open right now). Do you know if they exist, and whether they're common or rare? Or, do you know how I can find out?
[more inside]
posted by Other
on Aug 17, 2009 -
6 answers
I like small mice and I cannot lie... Help me find the ideal mini mouse for my laptop. (WARNING: Mouse geekery contained within!)
[more inside]
posted by agentmunroe
on Jul 30, 2009 -
11 answers
I'm planning to post photographs to my own website as a travelogue. I'm looking for an eye-catching interface that is easy to use and maintain. What would you recommend?
[more inside]
posted by netbros
on Apr 14, 2009 -
12 answers
Is there a pared down, simplified version of amazon.com available anywhere? Right now whenever I go there I'm irritated by the fact that 90% of every page is noise. I want to browse, search and generally shop, and I don't mind 'stuff other people who bought this bought' and reviews, but I don't want to see a huge long page with all this other stuff on it.
posted by jcruelty
on Mar 23, 2009 -
11 answers
Can you recommend software that will let me use a Linux machine to monitor e-mail, facebook, twitter, RSS feeds etc and see new content at a glance, from halfway across the room (ie. it has to be in BIG letters)?
[more inside]
posted by ranglin
on Mar 13, 2009 -
9 answers
I don't like the WordPress 2.5 look and feel. I am not interested in switching CMSes. What are my options for basic postings to my blog with minimal interaction with the WordPress interface?
[more inside]
posted by jessamyn
on Jun 18, 2008 -
11 answers
Can anyone recommend a simple open source library management system / book database which offers a searchable web front-end / OPAC and which accepts imported data without MARC records (ie CSV or tab-delimited)?
[more inside]
posted by Webbreader
on May 27, 2008 -
2 answers
I want to write some Location-based software (eventually on the mobile platform) and be able to test it on my laptop without faking GPS coordinates. What's a good, cheap GPS unit with a public API and/or some documentation/third party libraries for interacting with the device and retrieve information programmatically?
posted by callingshotgun
on May 12, 2008 -
9 answers
Are there resources available that provide information about the intuitiveness of various user interface elements to various demographics?
[more inside]
posted by OrlandoFurioso
on Apr 15, 2008 -
6 answers
I'm looking for a file browsing and HTML- and media-viewing interface that can be set up on a Mac OS X machine locally and accessed through a web browser. Remote access not necessary; I'm just looking for a local interface.
[more inside]
posted by WCityMike
on Feb 7, 2008 -
6 answers
In my quest to find the ideal combination of good interest rates + good online banking interface, my wife and I will likely be opening multiple banking accounts -- that's how we'll kick the tires. Will opening, say, four new accounts at one time damage our credit at all?
[more inside]
posted by diastematic
on Jul 16, 2007 -
6 answers
Is there some format more suitable for quick scanning of image dense feeds than your standard RSS reader?
[more inside]
posted by stuart_s
on May 28, 2007 -
1 answer
Given that I'm somewhat proficient in website coding (php, CSS, xhtml and so on) how can I constructively educate myself on actual design? What resources exist that will make me a better designer?
[more inside]
posted by geodave
on Apr 19, 2007 -
17 answers
I need recommendations on a decent camera with a good software interface for a custom rig I may be building.
[more inside]
posted by middleclasstool
on Jan 13, 2007 -
5 answers
