----- Original Message -----
From: "Dave Crocker" <dhc2@dcrocker.net>
I seem to recall an early bit of research on interactive computing (maybe by Sackman) that showed user preference for a /worse/ average response time that was more predictable (narrower range of variance) than a better average time that was more erratic.
Very specifically: A 3270 that took 5 seconds of delay and then *snapped* the entire screen up at once was perceived as "faster" than a 9600 tty that painted the same entire screen in about a second and a half or so. Don't remember who it was either, but likely Bell Labs. Cheers, -- jra -- Make Election Day a federal holiday: http://wh.gov/lBm94 100k sigs by 12/14 Jay R. Ashworth Baylink jra@baylink.com Designer The Things I Think RFC 2100 Ashworth & Associates http://baylink.pitas.com 2000 Land Rover DII St Petersburg FL USA #natog +1 727 647 1274