Distracted?

The New York Times takes a look at the many distractions users experience while using their computers in You There, at the Computer: Pay Attention. (Read it now before it falls behind the paywall.) A little bit to get you started:

A growing number of computer scientists and psychologists are studying the problem of diminished attention. And some are beginning to work on solutions.

Ben Bederson, who builds computer interfaces at the University of Maryland, said his design goal is to generate a minimum of distraction for the user. "We're trying to come up with simple ideas of how computer interfaces get in the way of being able to concentrate," said Dr. Bederson, director of the Human-Computer Interaction Lab at the university.

A nice overview.