GNOME Usability - General Questions

[Roger Taylor <rtaylor+ pitt edu>]

Hello everyone.

I recently read the Usability report and was excited to see that people are 
beginning to seriously examine how to make GNOME accessible and useful for 
the vast majority of computer users.

I'd like to state up front that I'm not a programmer or computer scientist 
so I won't have much to add in terms of coding and the underlying software 
mechanics. I am, on the other hand, quite familiar with cognitive 
psychology and educational technology so I believe I should be able to help 
contribute to this group.

I've got a number of assumptions that I guess I should lay out so that 
people can correct me if I'm mistaken or if this has already been discussed:

-I'd like to see GNOME advance to the point where it is as "easy" to use as 
the Mac OS or Windows, preferably easier (I'd like both my niece in 
elementary school and my grandparents to be able to use it).

-People aren't going to switch from the Mac or Windows to GNOME unless the 
transition is made VERY easy.

-Ideally, I'd like to be able click one or two buttons to get these GNOME 
general settings:

	(1) Easy (Tivo/Internet Appliance)
		(a) For Former Windows User
		(simplified settings/controls/help instructions displayed in ways similar 
to Windows)

		(b) For Former Mac User
		(simplified settings/controls/help instructions displayed in ways similar 
to Mac)

		(c) For New User
		(simplified settings/controls/help instructions displayed in the most 
intuitive way)

	(2) Intermediate (Mac/Windows level of complexity)
		(a) For Former Windows User
		(settings/controls/help instructions displayed in ways similar to Windows)

		(b) For Former Mac User
		(settings/controls/help instructions displayed in ways similar to Mac)

		(c) For New User
		(settings/controls/help instructions displayed via a somewhat simplified 
GNOME)

	(3) Advanced (Allow user full access to OS and configuration)



What do you think?

-Roger
			



----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Roger Taylor

Learning Research and Development Center
University of Pittsburgh
3939 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA  15260

(412) 624-2662 | rtaylor pitt edu | www.pitt.edu/~rtaylor