On 11/17/05, Unvollendeter Tag <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> That "little bit" shouldn't matter in the long run, if the slave
> really has no choice. I think stability is more important. Users will
> be satisfied when software is predictable in the right way (e.g. it
> doesn't crash too often or at least has the good grace to autosave
> your work).
It does matter. The Linux desktop might be relatively stable compared
to a WInXP machine, but see-- what if the user hits the magic
Ctrl-Alt-Backspace combination? Will apps decide to autosave? Is this
predictable to Joe Windows User?
I believe these are the main points why one should observe such
deployments "from the top down".
>
> > 1. What is the perception of the user to the change
> > 2. How effective is it to the user?
> > 3. How fast is the user adoption?
> > 4. What can make the user adopt faster?
> > 5. Did the change affect productivity?
> > 6. What's the typical learning curve?
>
> In my previous job I was forced to use ancient (not just Old World)
> Macs. It took me one day to adjust. Any graphical user interface made
> after Windows 95 and Mac OS 8 (the one I was forced to use) should be
> as easy or as hard to use as any other. The case studies have already
> been done. And they're either inconclusive or biased.
>
> Just show the user the not-too-sublte differences. Start button = K
> button = Apple icon = Foot icon. After that, it's just a matter of
> clicking.
I'd like to argue that a lot of users do use keyboard shortcuts. For
example, most Windows apps use Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V for copy and paste,
respectively. What are the Mac equivalents? Will Joe User know? What
about browser shortcuts? What about certain features (either in Office
or OpenOffice.org)? Also, the Start button has a link to the Control
Panel and the Printers folder. Apple has a different place for setting
up printers (or for tweaking). What about Joe User, who was given
admin privileges on his WinXP machine? What will a switch to OS X be
like? Will he know how to add applications?
For heavy mouse users, even the Mac OS tradition of a single unified
menu bar can get confusing. Joe User may ask, why is the menu bar
there? How do I switch tasks? Where's my task bar?
Pretty soon, such (relatively) minor differences do add up to major grievances.
Remember: human beings, in general, are resistant to change. We are
creatures of habit, and office workers become creatures of habit
pretty quickly. ;)
It isn't as cut-and-dried as it would seem.
>
> Users will probably find OpenOffice to be the toughest nut to crack.
> It has menu items in all the wrong places. Which is why I'd suggest
> going for Abiword or Kword.
Again, you mention that the menu items are "in all the wrong places".
Will a user switching from Microsoft Word to Abiword find the features
he uses in Abiword where he expects them to be? (Do note the "maxim"
that 90% of users use 10% of all features-- but note that the 10% is
different for all users).
>
> But if your goal is to win persons in authority to the cause, much
> more effective than showing off case study after case study is to do a
> live demonstration on how little difference your free desktop is from
> desktop X. Just be sure to "rig" your demonstration in your favor.
> Make sure beforhand that the system boots smoothly and would stay up
> long enough for you to conclude your presentation.
Which is not a good idea, IMHO. One should *always* show both sides of
the equation and give a balanced presentation. Show both the good
points *and* the bad points. What will it cost management to adopt
this for their employees? How will it benefit? Not showing the risks
(i.e. the bad points) is even more harmful to the FOSS desktop, and
does not help management make an enlightened decision. You become no
worse than those who make biased ROI studies.
--
JM Ibanez --
Book: If you take sexual advantage of her, you're going to burn in a
very special level of Hell, a level they reserve for child
molesters and people who talk at the theater.
(Firefly, "Our Mrs. Reynolds")
-----
http://www.livejournal.com/~jmibanez/
http://www.mycgiserver.com/~butiki/
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