Chapter 8: Software Posture

Posture - the way an application presents itself to the user, yet not by aesthetics, but by behavior.

Postures for the desktop:
-sovereign
-transient
-daemonic
-auxiliary

Sovereign:
used full-screen, user uses for long period of time.
word processors, spreadsheets, email
Users of sovereign applications are perpetual intermediates
Be conservative with design
Maximize document views within sovereign applications

Transient:
Comes and goes, does its job and leaves
Users won't become as familiar, interface needs to be clearer
Simple, clear, and to the point
Must respect room of sovereign application
Can use brighter colors to differentiate it with sovereign, use won't get sick of them as quickly
Instructions should be easily viewable on interface
Keep transient applications to a single window and view

Daemonic:
Programs that do not normally interact with the user
Serve quietly and invisibly in the background (e.g. printer driver)
Daemonic program MANAGE processes
Must be treated like transient programs, yet concern even more important decisions on account of user

Auxiliary:
blend of sovereign and transcient
Instant Messenger window that lives permaneatly on side of screen while user works, for example.