On Tue, Dec 21, 2010 at 10:29 PM, Camilo Mesias
<camilo@mesias.co.uk> wrote:
It's not that ridiculous if you think about it. It might be different
to what you are used to from a Linux distro.
I'm thinking of lots of modern websites where the design and
functionality has been changed*. These are leading sites that haven't
got to where they are by alienating users. It is similar to changing
the way the desktop works.
I am sorry, but I don't agree. I meant what I said. It's horrible UX, even I can see that. Fedora is not Facebook or Twitter and even if you could compare a desktop operating system to a website, I'd say the way that these proprietary, closed systems are handling their design choices is nothing a volunteer-driven Linux distro should aspire to. As Nicu said, we already have way too many choices, questions and knobs as it stands. I don't want us to become one-happy-button MacOS, far from that, but we still need to be conscious of not confusing or annoying end users-
As a gentle introduction to the changes,
the user on first login is offered a tour of the new features which
integrates nicely with a chance to change or set the optional bits of
the interface. Actually I think that would work really well with Gnome
3 if only someone had the time, the overall vision and the
responsibility for making sure the users 'bought in' to the new
design...
Do you remember Windows XP? I haven't seen one single user in five years of part-time professional Windows end-user support that hasn't clicked away these tours immediately. People don't want them. People also want a nice default wallpaper without being asked questions.
If in doubt, I'd rather use the stock Gnome wallpaper than asking people questions first. It's a nice-looking wallpaper and my quarrel with adopting it lies on a very different level as I hope I've made clear in this thread already.
No offense, I didn't want to insult you, I just wanted to be clear about it.
Fab