Re: Selling/Switching and GNOME [Was: Nautilus]

[Jeff Waugh <jdub perkypants org>]

<quote who="Reinout van Schouwen">

> What I'm trying to say is that I believe that design decisions on GNOME
> components should never be primarily motivated by considerations like
> "will it be familiar enough to Windows converts?" or "let's put in this
> useless gimmick because it will generate more sales of a pre-installed
> GNOME desktop". Decisions about UI design should be based on their own
> merits.

Perhaps, if "their own merits" happens to include "what is acceptable and
useful to our users".

> But with regard to the current navigational/spatial debate, I don't think
> reverting the default to browse mode is going to help our cause in the
> long term.

I belive that not pissing off users in the short term will help us in the
long term, and spatial - as wonderful as it is for those of us who care - is
pissing off users. It's not pissing them off because there are faults in its
implementation. They don't even begin to see those because the "Why are all
these windows open?" problem gets them at square one.

We *definitely* need to be bold and innovative in our approach to solving
user problems. But when we fuck up, let's be big enough to say so and move
on.

- Jeff

-- 
linux.conf.au 2006: Dunedin, New Zealand               http://linux.conf.au/
 
                          No pants is good pants.