On that mac argument
While many of you may use Macs it makes absolut business sense to try out the windows desktop application before.

Most users of that tool will be windows users - if you like it or not. The important part is that a mac version is planned in the sense of possible ui adaptions for "true" mac feeling.

And while you are busting about the "you have to support macs right awway even in a pre release!!!!!!" - may I remind you that in fact mac do run windows application nicely. New macs of course.

Now that set aside, I welcome the orbitz people to pick FT probably for the same reason the Ita people run around here - because people here will make the craziest test dummys available. I am sure the ita people sometimes look at their stats when it breaks and decide "this will never be done by a travel agent" *g*

Now, to the application
Just a quick look at the screenshot lets me scream - I HATE applications where the designers think they are oh so more clever than I am. I have nothing against somebody making it nice to have a reduced version available but I will not put up with an application which will not let me maximize MY screen comfort.

Without even installing it I see the typical problem I do also have with the orbits website - american centric.

I see am/pm, I see fahrenheit and I bet I see only alerts and information available as dollar and with only US centric application.


After install

software wants to reach on port 4087 or something - why not traditional 80?

no information on what the information provided is used for

non maximisable window and the requested information field does not scroll on mouse wheel movement - stupid. as does every other field available with more than a bit of information.

the font is TINY.

is not reachable through alt tab.

good: autocompleation does register ham for hamburg.

zip code: I do not have a zip code. Again US centric instead of doing it right.
And being that a mandatory field you are screaming for false data.

OF COURSE the date is expected to be mm/dd/yy and the week starts on sunday - local settings are available on the net for which every country likes to use ...

Why does it start up the Internet Explorer? My browser of choice is Firefox, so is it registered as standard and as default for all kinds of net activity. As you manage to achieve with all other browser implementations.

Application is not able to stay focussed up front - MESSY.

It installs itself inside autostart without asking, on the desktop AND within programms without providing the link to uninstall either.


Summary:
I have not tried the deal breakers as they are slow to build up and US centric. (btw I do fly pairs in the states, it is not that I do not use such ...)

The application itself is running slow and is not very responsiv, UI feedback is not enough and of course making it us centric is very stupid.


It may be a first step, but so far not very convincing.

Given, it could be worse, it has some benefis in its limitations, the FT crowd in general will not be you most usual customer, but several of the already mentioned aspects are deal breakers to have something like it installed. Or help others to install it on their pc.

I am - as probably a lot of other tlyertalkers - consulting on these kind of applications (and especially the problems around internationalisation) and I am happy to talk to you about how to make this a working version.

Several of the problems (especially around fonts etc) are deal breakers for such an application and it requests an installation from the user instead of using on of the favorite widget systems out there to be working also with other social tools like facebook and myspace.

my two cents.