[Usability]Re: Feedback on GNOME 2

[Mark Nelson <nels1678 tc umn edu>]

Hi,

For the record I'm a sysadmin and a long time user.  I agree with many
of the sentements in Derek's email.  

Starting out with very few configuration options is probably a good
thing.  It means that as features that are important get requested over
and over, only the really important ones can be integrated back in, and
we'll be better off for it in the end.  The problem seems to be that
there are developers (and it's not always Havoc) that arn't willing to
listen when those features are requested, even by multiple people at
multiple different times.  Users may not always know what is good for
them, but if the user is going to be forced to modify their habits when
dealing with the interface, there better be a really good reason for it,
hopefully documented.  Otherwise, they are going to bitch, complain, and
eventually leave.  Certainly this wasn't the goal of all the hardwork
put into gnome2.

So far I don't think very good reasons have been supplied for the
removal of many specific features in gnome2.  Simply saying "good UI" or
"crack features" may be good enough for the general removal of features,
but don't really cut it when talking about individual ones people want
back.  The user will never be happy with the UI changes unless they can
be convinced that the new way is "better" than the old.  That's why we
get these long flames filled threads over and over.  The people in
charge haven't done a good job of convincing everyone that their way is
the right way.

I *really* appreciate all of the hardwork that people have done to try
to make gnome2 a good environment, and I think that there are *many*
great improvements.  I don't want the developers to think we as the
community don't appreciate it, because they've done a tremendous job. 
At the same time though, a request:  Please stop treating those of us
that are actually willing to submit bug reports and voice conerns on the
mailing lists like we are clueless idiots.  It's really not appreciated,
and no matter how good you make gnome, no matter how wonderful of a
desktop it is, if you keep treating us this way we'll eventually leave. 
I'd really rather not do that though.

Thanks
Mark Nelson