Top Prize for an easy-to-learn-and-use Interface goes to the Rapid Filer for LAN Workplace ftp utility. This graphical `front end' to ftp can connect to a remote site on autopilot, login as an anonymous user, and display both remote and local files in an easy to understand `folders and documents' iconic representation. The user can then drag-and-drop these icons to transfer files from one site to another, while the Rapid Filer software takes care of the binary/ASCII file type determination, file re-naming, and other hassles.
Bottom Prize for the most-cryptic-and-elusive Interface goes to the WAIS for Windows version 2.2. The process is too confusing. all of the interfaces attempted to communicate with the user through inconsistent icons. Many icon-based graphical software packages offer `bubble help,' or they automatically display the function of each icon in the application's `status bar' when the mouse cursor floats above the icon in question. Our network setup prevents a user from saving a collection of WAIS servers into a file, so every Windows WAIS search at GSLIS requires the user to begin with an additional search for the WAIS servers themselves!