No one is saying that we should treat Linux users as idiots. I think the general idea is to give the techies their power while giving the desktop users their ease of use. Here's what I think: 1) Most Linux users have more skill than the average desktop user 2) The average desktop user IS an idiot. Trust me I deal with these people every day. Most people do not even understand the basics about how their computers work. Most people can do a few tasks, but it all goes to hell when they have a problem. Also no one is saying that the Windows file system is any good. I was comparing it to MacOS which I think has always done a better job than DOS/Windows. The problem with DOS was that it sacrificed the power of Unix for the "simplicity" of DOS. Windows is now stuck with the same limitations that DOS had, and is changing now in order to compete (or dominate). I don't think that the community should try and find ways to be more like Windows, after all the reason that I came to Linux was because I did not like Windows and that includes the GUI. What people should do is try and figure out new GUI elements that will enhance a users computing experience, and I think the article that I posted had some good ideas in that regard.
peace, Jesse On Tue, 2002-11-26 at 20:57, Kevin Anderson wrote: > Let me paraphrase. > > "Should users of the Linux OS be treated as stupid people." > > I'm going with no. > > The FS layout is just as easy to understand as the Windows FS layout. > People now are simply familiar with the legacy Windows OS. > > Increasingly, Windows is looking like Linux. (Mountpoints, NFS, etc) The > truth is, Windows is based on a foolishly legacy fs layout, and they will > need to abandon it. They are (slowly) moving in that direction already. > > Kev. > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Jesse Kline" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Tuesday, November 26, 2002 12:04 PM > Subject: (clug-talk) Should the unix fs be hidden from desktop users? > > > > One of the first things I noticed when I first tried MacOS X was that you > would > > never know that it was a Unix system unless you opened a terminal and hit > cd /;ls > > I think that Apple has achieved a good balance between keeping the layout > easy > > to understand for users of their classic system, while still retaining the > > traditional Unix infrastructure of the system. > > I just finnished reading a paper at > > http://evolvedoo.sourceforge.net/abstract/index.html which argues that the > same > > thing should be done with the Linux desktop. I understand that the Linux > file > > hierarchy can be confusing to users of MacOS classic and Windows, but I > think > > that if it is explained correctly it is not too hard to understand at > least the > > basics (ie. your files go in you $HOME dir, removable media can be > accessed > > under /mnt, etc.). I was wondering what people on the list think. Do we > need to > > hide the basics of the OS in order to make it more user friendly? > > > > Jesse > > > > > > > > > > >
signature.asc
Description: This is a digitally signed message part
