Re: Clueless users are bad for debian (was Let's CENSOR it!)
It has been brought up time and time again that what we need is to make
Debian easy to install, easy to use, and easy to configure for all levels of
users. Now, the installation issue is being addressed by the apt group.
Configuration is clearly an issue that seems to be the big complaint. Limiting
ourselves to a GUI tool is clearly wrong, though a GUI tool for the more
customizable packages would be nice for the endusers. sendmailconfig is the
perfect example of a well thought out config script. Next is the ease of use
issue. What might be good here would be some more work on bringing the window
managers more up-to-date with what apps are installed. Some packages add
themselves into the window manager menus, others do not. If we can agree on a
good way to do this so endusers don't need to edit files by hand to add/remove
programs from menus, this would solve the usability issue. Just my $1.25....
Dave Bristel
On Fri, 26 Mar 1999, Andrew Pimlott wrote:
> Date: Fri, 26 Mar 1999 14:00:25 -0500
> From: Andrew Pimlott <andrew@pimlott.ne.mediaone.net>
> To: debian-devel@lists.debian.org
> Subject: Re: Clueless users are bad for debian (was Let's CENSOR it!)
> Resent-Date: 26 Mar 1999 18:58:46 -0000
> Resent-From: debian-devel@lists.debian.org
> Resent-cc: recipient list not shown: ;
>
> On Thu, Mar 25, 1999 at 11:10:55PM -0800, Steve Lamb wrote:
> > On Thu, 25 Mar 1999 18:27:57 -0500, Andrew Pimlott wrote:
> > >If you want help Debian, drop the macho "software has to be hard to be
> > >powerful" attitude, and figure out how to make more of Debian like the
> > >package system.
> >
> > I don't see him having a "macho 'software has to be hard to be
> > powerful'" attitude.
>
> Although my remark was pointed, I think it's accurate. Hi is right that
> catering to beginners would be a mistake (fortunately, not one that the
> Debian developers are about to make). But the belief that making software
> easier will necessarily remove control and power from the user is dead
> wrong, and will only impede the progress of Debian.
>
> To want software to remain difficult, just to keep beginners from getting in
> over their heads, is perverse. Yet that's what the poster was asking for!
> If Debian is not suited for the "cluebie", we should tell cluebies not to
> use it. Still, I want software to be easier for _me_!
>
> > I see it as the same one I have, RTFM!
>
> Amen! I don't ask for software that works without knowlege on the part of
> the user (not yet, anyway). But this is largely orthogonal to making
> software more usable (which includes, by the way, improving the manuals).
>
> The association of "usable" with "idiot-proof" is what I'm trying to break.
> With more thoughtful notions of usability, we can write better software.
>
> Andrew
>
>
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