Re: Desktop Configuration

["Dan \"Effugas\" Kaminsky" <effugas best com>]

-----Original Message-----
From: John R Sheets <dusk@smsi-roman.com>
To: gnome-gui-list@gnome.org <gnome-gui-list@gnome.org>
Date: Friday, August 14, 1998 1:35 PM
Subject: Desktop Configuration


>If GNOME provides the user with enough simple, up-front control
>over their desktop, accompanied by good, friendly help ("Yessss,
>it's ooookay to delete that icon; you can always put it back
>later, with so-and-so tool riiiight here..."), the user will
>become more comfortable with making changes.  Naturally, former
>Windows users will have to be reassured more than others, to
>overcome these fears.  But if GNOME is well-laid-out and easy to
>configure, they will gain more confidence as they go, instead of
>staying at a plateau, like beginning Windows users often do.
>
>It's all in the presentation.


I think I can say it like this:

While the user should be allowed to change settings, the user should not
need to.

It's a GREAT THING to be able to reorganize everything to fit you, but the
default state SHOULD BE EXCELLENT.  The Windows Start Menu can be excellent,
but in order to make it so you *need* to work on it.  That's bad.