”How many minutes does an average user (or worse, a novice user) spend reading a label describing a confusing concept, trying to figure out what the hell it does, before asking their Computer Friend for help or skipping it entirely? One might ask how many people are desperately looking for a Minimize All item in OS X’s Window menu, not realizing they need to hold the ⌥ key. And if there were such a menu item, one might ask how many people would waste time reading it when they don’t need it, and how many people would hit it by mistake.

Mail’s Email Aliases, and Complexity Hidden - Release Candidate One

Chris Clark uses a couple of anecdotes to nail one of the most difficult challenges that constantly pulls at the heart of design. It’s obnoxious when software developers and designers duck this question by adding buttons and sliders and windows and doodads for every single feature they can think of. This cowardice is woven into the very cultural fabric of way too many Windows software shops because they have been scared into believing that they have to please everyone. They don’t.

But when developers and designers hit the bullseye, software “just works” like a skilled orchestra that’s played together for years. It’s harmonious and a joy to experience.

via Daring Fireball