I strongly agree with Tomasz, helping the user just firsts steps just after the download is the key for a quick adoption. When someone downloads Kicad for the first time is because have an idea in mind that wish to trasfer in the reality or just to comparate its software with the OpenSource one.
My humble opinion is that this programmer-centric approach to the GUI is the one that hasn't permitted Linux to be a new reference for the desktop systems. Wayne, at the DOS time the default interface was the CLI, so was cooerent for an user being able to set those, like now could be coerent on windows for an user handle the registry keys. If really we wish being able in the future to try a port to a Tablet, also if only as "a reader", we can't require users to set enviroment variables by hand, they could not be able to do it. I personally think that "Preferences" could be the old good standard way to place the variables now stored in the enviroment, then those could be stored in the .pro files, Easy, straight and following a KISS approach. Mac has enviroment variables but those are thinked to be used for command line commands in a terminal and there isn't a standard way to make them set, as anything not directly stated by Apple, each interface you use, can change between releases or also with a patchset, OSX users/programmers know that and are strict to follow the guidelines, this is a cathedral approach. I personally think also that the Tomasz interface should be done in C++, the first setup should be rock solid and failsafe: is the first fly, we can reasonably expect issues with python on the first fly, probably is the place where we could test and exercize the enviroment before leaving the control to the User. Is the first place we could fail and loose a new adopter. I know, there is a new toy python and all us are happy of that and wish play a bit, but i personally think that the "first setup interface" is the homeworks that prepare to go to play after quietly. -- Marco On Fri, Mar 14, 2014 at 4:11 PM, Tomasz Wlostowski < tomasz.wlostow...@cern.ch> wrote: > On 03/14/2014 03:33 PM, Wayne Stambaugh wrote: > >> On 03/14/2014 10:24 AM, Adam Wolf wrote: >> >>> Hi folks, >>> >>> I heartily agree with this. I've been trying to show some Kicad users >>> how to use new features in Kicad, and environment variables is turning >>> out to be a real turn-off for many of them. >>> >> >> That's a rather sad statement. Before the advent of the GUI (I know I >> am showing my age), even the secretary (...) >> > > Hi Wayne, > > In my humble opinion, it's not a matter of technical competence, but the > first impression that Kicad makes on the first-time user. Most people > expect software to work more or less out of the box, even the advanced ones > (that's why among proprietary tools me & my folks @ CERN prefer Altium over > Cadence, despite the latter being much more powerful). > > When somebody buys a Mac, the usual reason is it to avoid having to edit > config files. I know many extremely competent analog designers who simply > use autotrax or old orcad, just because they didn't require any > configuration. > > The idea of keeping Kicad libs in Github is great, but if the > first-time-ever user has to set it up in some system config files or run > bash scripts (think of Windows users!), it will ruin his experience (sorry > for sounding Steve Jobs-ish...). Eagle, DesignSpark and Altium have > libraries working out-of-the box. Why we shouldn't? > > My proposal is add a configuration window (see attachment) that appears > the first time freshly installed Kicad is launched. What do you think of > this approach? > > Cheers, > Tom > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers > Post to : kicad-developers@lists.launchpad.net > Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers > More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp > >
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