On Sunday 26 November 2006 06:08, "Michael T" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I would like to suggest the following idea. Ubuntu/Kubuntu users should be > encouraged to get non-Ubuntu users to try out Ubuntu/Kubuntu for a bit (a > few hours? days? As much as possible) and to produce a report about the > problems and annoyances that they encountered. A forum or a place should > be created where they could upload these reports, and they should be > encouraged to create bug reports for as many of the problems as possible. > This might help to address precisely the problems that put off Windows > users. > > I really suspect that many (although not all) of the problems will be quite > small and easily fixed. I think that the average Windows user does not > expect to be able to install an operating system, and expects difficulties > and problems when they try to do unfamiliar things, but does expect to be > able to go about their daily tasks with no difficulties. > > See Novell's usability project - http://www.betterdesktop.org/ - for a > similar project.
That is definitely a good idea to consider, but we must also be careful that we don't pander to the "it's not Windows" crowd. These are the people who, whenever they try something else, expect it to behave exactly as they are used to in Windows. The result is that interfaces and behaviour become modelled after Windows, not after what is actually a better (more usable, efficient, etc.) design. The apps that Novell contributes to are classic examples: Evolution and OpenOffice.org are clearly designed to feel familiar to MS Outlook and Office users respectively. Most usability studies, from what I understand, focus on people using an app for a few hours while their progress is monitored. A few hours is hardly enough to adjust to a new design, and their biases from personal experience will no doubt play a large part in their reactions and feedback. -- "I believe we are on an irreversible trend toward more freedom and democracy - but that could change." - George W. Bush, 1998-05-22
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