Linux Desktop Initiative

[Ed Sutherland]

On Saturday 01 May 2004 13:19, Mark wrote:
> There are some valid points made there. There are people that would move
> over to an Open Source machine but they shy away because they are afraid
> that it would be too complex for casual use such as surfing the web and
> sending photographs via email attachments to their friends. If things
> like that can be easily done by an average user, then Linux will really
> catch on.

Yes. Open Source has this mystique of being difficult to use and that a user 
has to 'earn' it by following convoluted directions. The key for us 'end 
users', as the Maintainers refer to regular folk, is ease of use. Once that 
hurdle is past, Linux will be more accepted.

> The article cites the Mac OS X as being intuitive and I have to differ
> on this, I deal with people that can't figure out how to simply install

Yep. An OS needs to strike the right balance between hand-holding and raw 
power. For me, Mac OS X, has gotten to be much more of a bothersome nanny. :)

> What Open Source needs is to make it easily accesed to an average end
> user. What this means is that it needs to be easily installed and once
> installed the user needs to be able to get on the web, browse around,
> listen to music and mail their friends from the machine. What I belive
> this mean is that the installtion needs to be pared down somewhat in
> that some things need to be dropped. The sheer size of the OS is

Some progress is being made in that area by suggesting groups of packages 
meant for the desktop, the server, programming and games.

> need to avoid the use of terms like "documentation" or "application" or
> "extension" or "driver" or even "Graphic User Interface" In other words,
> if you are going to use jargon, you will lose 90% of the end users right
> there. The text needs to be written not so that it can be understood, it
> needs to be written so it can't be misunderstood.

Right. Most people want a quick installation guide written in clear and direct 
language. Major computer manufacturers have noticed this and supply a simple 
installation chart which applies to 99 percent of users. Technical writers 
tend to keep the jargon in the mistaken assumption that clear writing equates 
to 'talking down' to users.

> this is being written from my G3 with the 3.01 installed, if I can do
> it, anyone can. :-P

Same here.

Ed