Re: why so much hate?
On 19-Jul-99, you wrote:
Hello,
I'm so new to debian that I haven't been able to install it successfully yet (probs with a SCSI card on an A1200) and haven't yet even thought about dselect, but I've enough computing experience (25 yrs) to have a view. I'm not sure if 'intuitive' is the right word - logical might be better and I see no reason why software shouldn't be logical to use. It's not as though we're talking bagpipes here, where by definition, the nature of the instrument requires an awkward interface. With software, we should be able to have pretty much any interface we like, tailorable with regard to different levels of reporting verbosity, warning and interlocking. If the requirement that is met by dselect absolutly requires it's current interface (whatever it's like), then the requirement needs to be re-appraised.
Of course, once I've sorted out the installation problem, got d running and have had a look at dselect, I'll probably change my mind ;-)
LeeE
> Michael Merten wrote:
>
>> On Mon, Jul 19, 1999 at 04:31:16PM +1000, Carley, Jason (Australia) wrote:
>>> I think that is a little harsh. I totally agree that everyone should read
>>> the docs. However, that does not create an excuse for unintuitive interface
>>> design. An app that is designed to cover new as well as experienced users
>>
>> I really have to step in here. The 'intuitive' argument is habitually
>> used to argue against *any* software that doesn't conform in every way
>> to the expectation of whoever is trying to use it. There is no
>> 'intuitive interface' and users expectations vary greatly depending on
>> their background. A wise man once sayeth:
>>
>
> Sure there is room here for opinion. Mine however, as a new user of debian, is that
> dselect can be improved. It is not a slight on the fabric of debian merely an
> observation. Having just ben through the process of installation, I feel I can
> comment with some recency.
>
> I am sure you are very experienced with debian and can thus use almost all of its
> tools better than I can. But there are areas where dselect can be difficult to
> follow and somewhat dangerous to use if you are not totally familiar with it. I guess
> it is an appropriate proving ground, a test if you will. But is that really the
> point of a package management application?
>
> Why not have a novice mode in dselect? That way any expert user can plug away with
> the current format. new users could have more handholding?
>
>>
>> The only "intuitive" interface is the nipple. After that, it's
>> all learned. -- Bruce Ediger, bediger@teal.csn.org, on X interfaces
>
> I don't know that that quote adds much... I reality we have all seen bad interfaces
> and good interfaces. In general I think that a good interface should enable a
> technical person to sit down without a lot of prior training and work their way
> through the application. Not perfectly but safely and in such a way that some work
> can be accomplished. As I said in an earlier post, for a tool that comes up in the
> initial installation phase, I think this is even more important. Some users are
> coming across from Windows and need all the help they can get with the install lest
> they fail to appreciate the usefulness of Linux because they can't get it installed.
>
> Regards,
>
> Jason.
>
>
Regards
--
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