[wplug] RE: New users like Linux better?

Michael Semcheski lists at immuneit.com
Fri Apr 15 19:20:37 EDT 2005


Bob Supansic wrote:
> Bill Moran wrote:
> My experience is that there are two kinds of computer users: those who
> play with computers and those who don't. 

> And yet ease of use seems to have a very low priority in the design of
> software.  The example of Open Office is instructive: it continues to
> try to ape the Microsoft Office  interface, which in my opinion is
> astoundingly poor for such a widely-used program.

I think there are two problems really, and its a software and human
interface design problem more than an open source vs. monopolist.

The more features you have, the better the software often is for one
kind of users.  But features and usability have a negative correlation.
 The users that like to play with computers will figure out the
features, the other type will be confounded.

I'll take a command line over a window-based drill down interface to the
hard drive any day.  (I think folders, both the real world kind and the
abstract kind, suck.)  But many users can't get over the hump in the
learning curve here.  They're stuck with this inefficient, inferior (for
most tasks) interface.

Microsoft casts their net as wide as possible.  I think that explains
their human interface.  Its much easier to copy an existing interface or
functionality than to come up with a new, parallel one.  Often the best
results come from that parallel one (which may get a 'lessons learned'
head start).  And often, I think open source does produce these parallel
interfaces.  It still thrills me when I find one and its good or better.

Mike


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