Re: [ubuntu-marketing] Better investigating the problems Windows users have with Ubuntu
http://www.openusability.org/ I know KDE has Usability experts on their team (Ellen Reitmayr and others). There was an Ubuntu project listed here awhile back but I didn't see it recently. Thanks for the great link, Belinda! Regardless of how it fits into the Ubuntu project, I'm glad to know of its existence :-D A Usability Team might be a good idea but it would need to integrate with the Art/Marketing/Bug Squad/other Teams to make it an integrated part of the project. For now perhaps getting one or two key/specific areas identified as an Open Usability project might be a good start? Just a thought. I don't really Usability as a Marketing Team task but as part of the overall Development process. I know that in my personal experiences in marketing to friends and family (and strangers, yes) that usability has come up in conversation multiple times. That said, I certainly agree that Usability (with a capital U) is probably not a task for the Marketing Team. What I _do_ think, however, is that gathering knee-jerk reactions from the general public will be of great use to our Marketing efforts (with a capital M.) By this I mean something on the order of a quick survey at the end of a web-based tour, or perhaps a post-LiveCD questionnaire. I'm most interested in what people think when they happen upon Ubuntu for the first time - especially if it's their first time with GNU/LInux. So, I suppose I'm personally leaning toward integrating the usability topic into a more general feedback channel to aid the Marketing Team. Am I the only one? :-D -- ubuntu-marketing mailing list ubuntu-marketing@lists.ubuntu.com Modify settings or unsubscribe at: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-marketing
[ubuntu-marketing] UWN Issue 22 comment
I just finished reading UWN 21-23 in one shot, because I'd been away. I hope I'm not stepping into a hot potato here, but... Can I suggest that when technical suggestions are made as asides in UWN, there should be a link to information explaining why the suggestion was made? The particular thing I'm thinking about here is the two comments about Automatix and EasyUbuntu in UWN Issue 22. I have no problem with reporting that automatic scripts are not safe, or that one script is safer than another, but shouldn't accurate reporting involve links to facts? I've heard those assertions made before, but a newbie shouldn't just have to trust the authority of UWN when choosing what tools to use. Instead, there should be an easy way for them to learn the technical details surrounding the tools. Anyhow, I love UWN, and am impressed by all the work that goes into it every week. Just a minor quibble. NurseGirl -- ubuntu-marketing mailing list ubuntu-marketing@lists.ubuntu.com Modify settings or unsubscribe at: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-marketing
Re: [ubuntu-marketing] Better investigating the problems Windows users have with Ubuntu
Michael T wrote: Hello, I couldn't decide where the best place was to post this to. If you feel that this mailing list is not appropriate, and have an alternative suggestion, I would be glad to hear it. Some of you may have noticed that I posted this as a comment to Bug 1. When I read the other comments posted to that bug, most of them are on the lines of Ubuntu is so much better than Windows that if people don't use it, it must be a conspiracy. Personally, I think that while Ubuntu may really be better for those particular posters, it is probably not the case for many Windows users. Furthermore, I think that even more could be done to investigate why Windows users may have problems with Ubuntu. I have doubts that effort in these directions will give enough value just now. The one thing that most windows users lack is up front awarenes of Ubuntu brand and the thought that Ubuntu is everywhere and is desirable. Bumper stickers, campaigns, publicity. Not to mention OEM installs and local contact groups. We are weeks away from vista releases - many win users will be beginning to think of the future over this period. If we take our eye off the immediate marketing ball, we are loosing drive just at the time we could be getting the message out there. Over the last 4 or 5 months they have been many press comments about Ubuntu but I cannot recall a singe one which complained about Usabilty. I know it is not perfect, but it is very good. When I first used dos, or win 3 or win 95, 98, XP, there were significant usability - or familiarity issues. Always. Windows did not get where it is because of usability, but marketing and image. I was good with Wordperfect dos, then I had to start using MS word. It was an absolute *nightmare*. To encourage the change, MS added a how to facility in Word, for wordperfect users - but they did not change the functionality or the usability, just gave information. Even if ubuntu is totally perfect in everyones eyes, this will not make win users change unless they *want* to. What I learned by observing MS is that most people can be encouraged to want something that is way way far from perfect, or even good. -- alan cocks Linux registered user #360648 -- ubuntu-marketing mailing list ubuntu-marketing@lists.ubuntu.com Modify settings or unsubscribe at: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-marketing
[ubuntu-marketing] free(-er) computing initiatives to hook into?
I have some ideas for the spreading of free-er computing in general (in which Ubuntu is an important ingredient), for which i bought freedomdrive.org and homecomputerhelp.org, and as hosting is not in place yet i have previews at http://steltenpower.com/homecomputerhelp.org and http://steltenpower.com/freedomdrive.org Want to hook into this to spread Ubuntu? Just mail me to let me know. Cheers, Ruud -- ubuntu-marketing mailing list ubuntu-marketing@lists.ubuntu.com Modify settings or unsubscribe at: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-marketing
