Re: User oriented release notes

[karderio <karderio gmail com>]

Hi :o)

I really don't know how to argue this any better, it just seems to be
becoming silly.

I will simply restate that to effectively promote GNOME through our
website, things should be presented in a simple non technical way,
technical information being presented in separate sections for those who
wish for such information.

Things should presented in ways to get potential users interested, as is
done on "big company" websites.

As previously mentioned, compare and contrast with :
http://www.apple.com/macosx/leopard/index.html

Love, Karderio.



On Sat, 2006-09-09 at 17:01 +0200, Claus Schwarm wrote:
> 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