Horstman Blog 5

What is the user’s mental model with respect to an object's personality and surrounding interactions?

The user's mental model of an object, the object's personality and how it works actually differs compared to what that object really is, does, and it's personality. In the book, the author uses the trash can model of a desktop of a computer. The user believes that this "trash can" can "completely delete" any item tossed in it, but the user's idea of this object is far from true. In a better representative model for the "trash can" would be more like a recycling bin given the fact that the object just holds what you throw away but won't forever go away but sit until the user again does something with that bin/folder of unwanted files, which is why some systems offer the image of a recycling bin instead of a trash can icon.

How might this mental model contrast with the implementation model of the programmers? (Don’t get too involved with this one.)

Like I stated before, the user mental model differs in the actual interactions of object to where it maybe completely off like the trash can on computers. The implementation model is the actual process in which a programmed object actually does with user inputs and interactions with the application/computer.