Fwd: [udig-devel] UDIG Requirements Document is up

If my mom can figure out how to use uDig, without training or manuals,
I will be very impressed with its usability.

7:20 PM - Mom gets an e-mail from my brother containing a shapefile
showing the lots around his home. She double-clicks it and uDig opens
it, automatically figuring out the format. Mom's viewing the shapefile
-- she doesn't even know what uDig is.

7:25 PM - Mom wants to draw a new lot, but she doesn't like drawing on
the screen with a mouse. So she prints out the map, uses a pencil to
draw a rectangle on the printout, then gets me to scan the new map
back in (or use a digital camera). uDig turns her drawing into a new
polygon.

7:55 PM - Mom wants to make some adjustments to the polygon, so she
drags the polygon over a bit, drags an edge of the polygon a little to
the left, and drags the corner of the polygon up a bit. No selection,
no tools, no modes -- direct interaction.

8:10 PM - My brother calls and tells Mom that he's made an "Add-On"
for the map program. He instructs Mom to click Add > Dave's Add-On.
She does so, and the lots get colour-themed. No downloading, no
unzipping, no restarting (uDig gets a list of new Add-Ons from a
repository on the internet).

8:20 PM - Mom powers off the computer without hitting the X button on
uDig. No problem -- next time she uses uDig, she'll see her changes
intact. And even at a future date, she'll be able to undo her changes.


> "uDig ... will ... make viewing, editing, and printing data ... simple
> for ordinary computer users." [uDig Requirements]