http://fmcollective.com/2006/12/16/simplicity-and-software-architecture/ Syndicating the best FileMaker blogs Sat, 29 Nov 2008 04:44:04 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.3 hourly 1 http://fmcollective.com/2006/12/16/simplicity-and-software-architecture/comment-page-1/#comment-31 Jonathan Reff Wed, 20 Dec 2006 13:58:57 +0000 http://fmcollective.proofgroup.com/?p=20#comment-31 I was also unsure about Joel Spolsky's piece when I read it. It seemed one the major justifications for his "more is better" argument is that coming out with a new version of their product with more features has always led to an increase in sales. I then read the Don Norman piece, and it seems that this is the crux of the argument; not that more features make a better product, but that more features mean more sales. That may be true, but doesn't tell the whole story. What about the support costs, if those additional features confuse the users? And general satisfaction with the product after getting it home and using it for a while? Norman argues that those don't matter if you don't get the sale. I guess I'm thankful that I develop custom solutions, where the point-of-sale decision is not a factor. I was also unsure about Joel Spolsky’s piece when I read it. It seemed one the major justifications for his “more is better” argument is that coming out with a new version of their product with more features has always led to an increase in sales. I then read the Don Norman piece, and it seems that this is the crux of the argument; not that more features make a better product, but that more features mean more sales. That may be true, but doesn’t tell the whole story. What about the support costs, if those additional features confuse the users? And general satisfaction with the product after getting it home and using it for a while? Norman argues that those don’t matter if you don’t get the sale. I guess I’m thankful that I develop custom solutions, where the point-of-sale decision is not a factor.

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