The Macintosh uses an experimental pointing device called a ‘mouse.’ There is no evidence that people want to use these things.”

– John C. Dvorak, San Francisco Examiner, Feb. 1984

I love design and technology — especially the technology that is well-designed and thus enables people to communicate more effectively, work more productively, and enjoy their lives more fully.

Welcome to Dialog Box, a blog about just such great technology and design.

What makes technology and design great, however, is no simple formula. As new technologies emerge, critics and those resistant to change often sound alarm bells that sound downright foolish in hindsight.

Dialog Box is devoted to exploring the nature of good technology design, and to observing what works and what doesn’t. As the header graphic suggests, the idea is to explore the Interface where people and technology meet (that’s the design element!), and how this Interface can be as beneficial as possible.

(I think that interface is so important, that I’ve begun capitalizing it as an experiment to emphasize its importance. We’ll see how long the capitalizing lasts…)

Hopefully, among my comments and observations, and those of others, this blog will become a tool for better understanding technology — what is developing, what is special, and why it is special.

This blog is still very young, and as such, I fully expect that it will change a bit as it grows. For now, it’s a place to share my own thoughts and a collection of interesting links to news and others’ thoughts on related topics.

I hope that you’ll consider making this a true discussion by leaving your thoughts, ideas, reactions, and comments with honesty and frequency.

Please also let me know what I can do to improve your experience by leaving feedback and comments about the site itself.

You may always email me (Scott) at scott@dialog-box.com.

Thanks for joining us!