Re: Tuxmagazine

[Steve George <slgeorge gmail com>]

Hi,

OK, I think we're agreeing on the 'user' front it's just a question of
tone.  I completely agree with your core message:
  "Elegant, easy to learn, easy to use"

To expand a litttle the desktop assisting the user rather than
standing in the way, that 'freedom' in GNOME is free from proprietary
but also freeing the user from boundaries - the desktop doesn't
prevent creativity.

However, I do think that there is an impression amongst power users
that usable means dumbed down.  The word 'simple' has other
connetations and sometimes people think that there is a trade-off
between functionality and useability.  To counteract this you still
have to show how the environment is very capable.  There has to be a
sub-message so that users feel they are receiving an environment that
will support them no matter how complex their needs.

The new Mac users are a great example.  Mac has traditionally sold to
customers who 'just want it to work' so they've messaged on usability,
simplicity and transparency.  But, with OS X they've started getting
traction in a more deeply technical user group.  Because it's got
powerful underpinnings that interested developers/users can use.  You
constantly hear mac developers talking about the innovation and power
of the framework.  These are still 'power' users it's just that they
are not tweakers - they value things working right.  This is important
for Mac because these users are key influencers for less technical
groups.

We can apply this to GNOME.  As you say this is not tweakers; it's
people who don't have time to mess with minutae but have real work to
do - whether that's wordprocessing or developing.   You're statement
of why you like GNOME hits the mark for this group - an example is
probably old Unix heads who used to be engineers and are now technical
managers.  They want to feel technical and use cool technology but are
time poor; their desktop environment should work for them
automatically - they know how to edit X resources files but don't want
to.

Cheers,

Steve


On 5/10/05, Dave Neary <dneary free fr> wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> Steve George a écrit :
> > Conventional wisdom says you should pick a single segment and
> > concentrate on that one only.
> 
> Well, let's say at most 2 :)
> 
> > Users
> > =====
> > As these are early adoptors the 'power' mantra is a significant
> > factor.  GNOME pushes simplicity.  So the value should be about being
> > 'powerful enough to do what you want, simple enough to be usable'
> > similar to the 'simple things are easy, hard things are possible'.
> 
> I think this is a fundamental misunderstanding of where GNOME has its
> biggest market opportunity. GNOME is not for tuners. GNOME is the
> desktop that doesn't get in the way when you want to get some work done.
> And more and more, power users I know are looking for that from a
> desktop. These are the über-geeks who are buying macs en-masse. We want
> them dual booting Ubuntu. Or keeping their PCs with GNOME on them.
> 
> I know that I like using GNOME, because I don't have to think about it.
> I don't need to spend a weekend after I install it getting everything
> just the way I like it.
> 
> > As we specifically want users who are active then you can push the
> > freedom, community and involvement aspects of the project.
> 
> Sure, some of these aspects can figure in a campaign, but I don't think
> they should be the central element.
> 
> > It would be interesting to see what particular qualities of GNOME
> > actual normal users like!
> 
> I really think it's "Elegant, easy to learn, easy to use".
> 
> Cheers,
> Dave.
> 
> --
> David Neary
> bolsh gimp org
> 
>