Interface "Wow" Factor

From Code Commit:

That’s what it really all comes down to: user perception.  Jeff Atwood harps on about this constantly, but just because it’s oft-repeated doesn’t make it less true.  It doesn’t matter what your application can do, just what your users think it can do.  It’s all an elaborate illusion anyway, we just have to realize how complete that illusion really is.  If a user looks at your application and thinks, “Wow!  I don’t know what it is, but it looks powerful,” then you have succeeded as a developer.  Your application could do nothing more than print “Hello, World!” an infinite number of times; so long as it is impressive looking, it will be a success (think iPhoto 1.0).  Likewise, your application may desalinate water and hold the key to world peace, but if it looks wimpy, users will never give it a chance.