Re: [Usability] Can the GNOME desktop survive an encounter with my parents?

[Alan Horkan <horkana maths tcd ie>]

> While monitoring all the project representatives of an Open Source
> project would be nearly impossible, you'd think they had a foot inside
> a site named "ubuntuforums.org".

I took your comments to mean it was an actual forum run by Ubuntu but a
polite word to the site admin that some of the people on the boards are
actually harming the good reputation of Ubuntu might go a long way.

> > > 5. Finds the Trash applet after more than a few minutes of searching
> ...
> > Might help if the icon had the recycle logo emblazoned on it.
>
> Anything is better than a blue square.

I guess the real problem here is trying to produce an icon that remains
meaningful at such a tiny size.

> > > 6. Wants to change the Font. Goes to System->User Settings->Fonts,
> > > sees the 4 boxes (does not recognize them as buttons) with "Sans" in
> > > them, clicks the "Details" button, "Go to Font folder", browses the
> > > fonts, finds one he likes, tries to drag it to the "boxes" without
> > > success.
> >
> > I really hate those widgets.  I've been meaning to bring it up for over
> > six months[1] but never gotten around to it yet (I only do this part time
> > for my own amusement).
> >
> > I dont know what they were thinking thinking when the replaced what is
> > usually represented by a drop down menu or a text entry and a
> > [_____________________][Browse...]
> > button with this stange new and confusing widget.
>
> I would like to think that this representation would be recognized by
> him and he would rather click Browse than go through all the things he
> did.

I'll try and remember to bring this up.  I think I would probably have to
direct my problems on this particularly widget to the Gtk developers.

> > > 9. Prior to letting him use the computer, I installed smeg to
> >
> > Ha, ha, ha.  I cannot believe the rude names people give their programs.
> > I thought gimp (and to a lesser extent Pan) was an innappropriate name but
> > that takes the biscuit.  You might need to refer to a medical dictionary
> > to get a definition of the word "smeg"/"smegma").  Oh dear.
>
> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smeg#Smeg_.28vulgarism.29>
>
> Yikes, I had no idea! Haha :-D

Mabye I should file a bug report against Ubuntu before they make the
mistake of shipping this to any corporate customers.  Or maybe not.

> > Not enough hours in the day for me to even start discussing the usability
> > of the GNU Image Manipulation program again.  It is an independant
> > application and not directly part of Gnome as their lead developer Sven so
> > proudly blurts out every so often (I dont understand it either) so you
> > should take your comments to them directly.  Perhaps you could take
> > your comments to OpenUsability.org as the gimp has recently signed up for
> > evaluation by them.
>
> If Sven reads this list, he already has my notes on this. If not, I'll
> send him a copy.

I do not think he reads this list, better to mail the gimp developer list
than mailing him directly.

> > > 15. OpenOffice.org2 Writer takes AGES to load. He has realised that it
> > > does, and goes to get coffee or whatever when starting it. AbiWord is
> > > faster (and looks alot nicer), but its MS Word conversion thingy is
> > > far from as good as OOo's.
> >
> > Really?  As a rabid ;) supporter of Abiword I must insist you qualify that
> > statement and if possible provide some sample documents so I can help the
> > abiword developers to improve their software.
>
> My father is a teacher at a relatively high level, and the documents
> in question are drafts for various exams that he and the other
> teachers are passing among them to edit in various ways.
>
> As you probably understand, I can not attach these documents to a
> "public" e-mail. If you would e-mail me directly, I might be able to
> reply with some of these documents attached, but I would have to ask
> my fathers permission first.

Please do. If you can cut the documents down, preferably to a single page
which illustrates whatever problem you are having that would be ideal.
It would be a help if you replaced the text with something meaningless
like "lorem ipsum".  The abiword developers could deal with it discretely
as they are usually willing to do if it is a new or unusual problem.

> Thank you,

You're welcome.

Sincerely

Alan Horkan

Inkscape http://inkscape.org
Abiword http://www.abisource.com
Dia http://gnome.org/projects/dia/
Open Clip Art http://OpenClipArt.org

Alan's Diary http://advogato.org/person/AlanHorkan/