Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!caen!Firewall!uunet!mcsun!ukc!slxsys!ibmpcug!mantis!mathew
From: mathew@mantis.co.uk (Giving C News a *HUG*)
Newsgroups: comp.human-factors
Subject: Re: What's this??
Message-ID: <76BJ413w164w@mantis.co.uk>
Date: 14 Jun 91 14:16:29 GMT
References: <ASHBYA.91Jun13115653@flint21.rtsg.mot.com>
Organization: Mantis Consultants, Cambridge. UK.
Lines: 62

In article <33519@usc.edu>, czinngra@skat.usc.edu (Claude Zinngrabe) writes:
> This newsgroup only recently appeared at my site; apparently it has
> just recently been formed.  Could someone please explain to me the
> purpose/intent of this newsgroup??

Here's the charter from the original call for votes I posted:

===

STATUS OF NEWSGROUP: unmoderated

PURPOSE/CHARTER:

   To provide a forum for discussion of general issues relating to
   human-computer interaction (HCI) and human factors.

   HCI issues are currently discussed in a number of newsgroups, and are
   relevant to discussions in:

               alt.hypertext             comp.infosystems
               alt.toolkits.xview        comp.multimedia
               comp.cog-eng              comp.software-eng
               comp.graphics             comp.windows.*
               comp.groupware

   HCI is an extremely broad topic. Examples of possible subjects for
   discussion include:

      * Design of keyboards, mice, joysticks.
      * Choice of command names and parameter syntax, and the effect on
        the number of mistakes users make.
      * Design of effective symbols for communicating information.
      * Control relations for scroll bars, switches and so on.
      * Use of Agents for representing semi-autonomous processes.
      * Use of colour in user interface design.
      * Methods for prototyping user interfaces.
      * How to evaluate the effectiveness of a user interface.
      * Designing effective dialogues for interactive programs.
      * Possible new forms of feedback -- sound, smell, touch.
      * Customizability vs. stability.

   At present, such discussions are scattered amongst the existing comp.*
   groups.


WHAT THE NEWSGROUP IS *NOT*:

   The newsgroup is NOT intended for discussion of topics specific to
   particular window systems and not illustrating any general point; such
   discussion should take place in the existing comp.windows groups. Nor is
   it intended as a place where people can preach the virtues of their
   favourite windowing system.

   The newsgroup is also not intended for human-factors discussion which is
   not relevant to the field of computing. 

===


mathew