Re: User oriented release notes

[Claus Schwarm <c schwarm gmx net>]

Hi, 

On Sat, 09 Sep 2006 15:22:15 +0200
karderio <karderio gmail com> wrote:

> Perhaps, but in any case we still need to cater for the lowest common
> denominator : grandma :)

Well, as I said previously: Grandma's are never going to read our
release notes, unless their are interested in technical details which
would make this particular class of grandmas enthusiasts.

This grandma stuff is a myth spread by usability guys without
proper marketing education.  ;-)

> Maybe technical details cannot be hidden completely (on the website),
> although I'm not sure why. 

I meant it the other way around: There's no need to hide it. People
who want to deal with Linux today, need to be able to figure out what
'compiling' means. That's due to the distribution system and the
attitude of too many developers who don't bother about providing
distribution-independent binary packages on their homepages.

Additionally, if you hide the information, you will just make some
people post it somewhere. That means other peope will have to search
*everywhere* to find this necessary information.

Do you know how much time I spend searching the web which graphic
processor owners will probably be able to test this Metacity 3D
capabilities?

The answers is: Too long! ;-)

You may not noted it but experienced journalists like Steven J.
Vaughan-Nichols picked up what you may consider too technical
information in their coverage, see here:

 http://www.desktoplinux.com/news/NS6261033378.html

This tells me that we have done something right.

> I'll reformulate the problem I see : user
> comes to website, the best, easily accessible, information about GNOME
> is the release notes : talk of complication makes him worried.

Yeah, nice story. ;-)

But a myth. Nobody will think that the release notes are the most
easily accesible information about GNOME. A real beginner will not even
know what 'Release notes' are!

The true story goes like this: User comes to GNOME web site, thinks
'Hey, this stuff sound interesting!', clicks 'download' and then
wonders where the button is to make the download start.


> As you say there is a bug :) What is the solution, to make the "about"
> section relevant and make it more prominent than the release notes ?

Currently, the notes use an opt-out solution: "We present a
complete page of irrelevant stuff for 95% of readers, but you can skip
it by clicking here."

We should use an opt-in procedure: "Here are the great changes or our
new release, and if you have no clue what GNOME is, click here."

Next time.

> Where ? Is this meant for the website or shipping with a release ?

See yourself. Unfinished version here:
http://www.gnome.org/tour/C/index.html


Cheers,
Claus