Considering the User

Depending on how you use the Web application you build, user needs will take on significant importance. Many applications start out as projects that the developer is creating for personal use. Some of the best applications I've written fall into this category. However, taking shortcuts in developing the user interface, even if you're the only user, is never a good idea. At one time, I wrote rough applications that I understood but couldn't use efficiently because they were only for test purposes. After I ended up rewriting a number of the applications because I couldn't figure them out or other people asked me for copies, I began writing every program as if it were for someone else.

The applications you write with Google Web Services will likely see use from other people, even if you don't know it right now. Consequently, you need to consider what a hypothetical user will need. For example, you might need to include a few special search options. Sure, you could get the same results by typing a little extra text, but adding the functionality directly into your application makes it easier to use (faster in most cases as well).

It's also important to consider users with special needs. The "Addressing Users with Special Needs" section of Chapter 11 contains details on this topic, but you might need to perform setups before you even begin coding. For example, if you work on a Windows machine, you'll probably want to set up the Accessibility features (these features normally appear in the Control Panel and within the Start\Programs\Accessories\Accessibility folder).