Re: [Ayatana] Applications suggestion according to hardware capabilities
(you forgot to reply to the list) I like this revision of your idea to integrate the suggestions into Software Center as well as improving the search results to make them more usable. This would certainly suit the purpose of suggesting software to the user and better guide the user into a long standing relationship with the Software Center. Bret Kuhns On Tue, Nov 16, 2010 at 4:53 PM, Arian van Gend aria...@gmail.com wrote: Like I said, we should guide new user (or experienced users doing something new) to these options. However, I still feel that the situation you describe only means that the software centre (search) should be improved. If the list of results is so unclear, it should be improved, otherwise, it would be as useless for all other possible use cases (an experienced user would also have to tediously read all descriptions to find a good program). Therefore, in my opinion, the software centre is still the way to go. Maybe the first time you plug in a device, you could get a message about the software centre, or have it open with a relevant search result shown. This way the user learns the actions to undertake in the future. To improve the search results, we could show the relevant program separately as they are directly connected to the device in question. They could be shown in a different way from the rest of the results to emphasize this. This would in my opinion help your grandmother enough to get by. ;) 2010/11/16 Bret Kuhns bku...@gmail.com Instead, I feel we should show new users how to use the software centre, which does an more than adequate job in managing software for the user. Although a perfectly valid point, I think we'd be throwing new users to the wolves with this approach. Say my mom plugs in a webcam and it installs properly in the background and is ready to go in seconds. She knows the software center would be used to find a program to use with her webcam based on your idea of education. She then types webcam in the search and gets a list of programs, the first being Cheese Webcam Booth. Webcam Booth? Is that like those photo booths you see at weddings? That must not be what she's looking for. Most of the other programs listed in the search results for webcam aren't very informative based off their name. Yes there are descriptions with more details on a lot of programs, but who has time to sit down and read each description objectively before deciding which is best for them? I think recommendations for new users is ideal. There can always be a stop nagging me option so these recommendations on detection of new hardware go away, but I think it'll go a long way for new users (or even experience users that maybe never had a webcam before). Even something as simple as a one-off hey we see you plugged in a webcam, Cheese or Kamoso would be great programs to use with it. Click here to read more about them in the software center dialog can get the point across and help users. Bret Kuhns On Mon, Nov 15, 2010 at 9:31 AM, Arian van Gend wa...@ziggo.nl wrote: I agree that it is a good idea to support new users in such cases, but most people would get annoyed by these suggestions as they progress in their use of the system. Instead, I feel we should show new users how to use the software centre, which does an more than adequate job in managing software for the user. When they learn that the software centre can perform such actions for them, it can become helpful to make it aware of what a user may need. For example, when attaching for example a web-cam the following could happen: The device should just work. Only notify the user of anything if something goes wrong. When a user attaches a web-cam, it knows it did that, so there is no need to bash him with redundant messages, like Windows does. For comparison, a Mac will not display these useless messages. If the user has used this device before, then we're basically done. He will know what to do. A new user should have been gently guided to the software centre by way of education (by another user, the installation process, first-time run, or the system itself at some point). The user will then automatically try the software centre for getting under way. In the software centre itself, the recommended programs list displayed could be altered to show helpful applications for that device. This enables a user to quickly find what he needs (if it isn't installed already) through a standardized procedure. How should we guide the user to the software centre? I think it would be a good idea to have the search function (which in my opinion should be made a central component of Unity anyway) make these suggestions. So when searching for 'web-cam', Unity could provide results related to possible programs to install for that (directly linking to the relevant page in the software centre). Doing this avoids annoying more experienced users, and still helps newer
Re: [Ayatana] Applications suggestion according to hardware capabilities
Thanks for the feedback, I realized that thinking in suggesting applications (and maybe where to find tutorials) is a great thing for new users. So what is better solution to guide the user putting an icon on the top bar / Unity bar or popups ? And should clicking on it open the software center with a list of applications ? Another issue is that Software Center is used to gather information about apps and install them, then you need to run them from another place by clicking on an icon on Unity bar. Can all these be mixed in only one thing ? This needs more brainstorming and how to integrate the applications suggestions into it too. i On Wed, Nov 17, 2010 at 3:21 PM, Bret Kuhns bku...@gmail.com wrote: (you forgot to reply to the list) I like this revision of your idea to integrate the suggestions into Software Center as well as improving the search results to make them more usable. This would certainly suit the purpose of suggesting software to the user and better guide the user into a long standing relationship with the Software Center. Bret Kuhns ___ Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~ayatana Post to : ayatana@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~ayatana More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
Re: [Ayatana] Applications suggestion according to hardware capabilities
Hey, I cant see any problems detecting if the computer has 3D compatibility, the processor speed and ram since they are readily available but if you want to get into webcam detection and other external stuff it would require a little bit of work. The 3D compatibility, speed and ram are very useful for suggesting games and more intensive stuff but not really too useful for most other pieces of software. Id say it would be a fairly low priority wish list kind of feature to suggest applications according to hardware compatibility but if it was done it would be nice. As a side note im kinda thinking we need to make the algorithm for suggestions a lot better. At the moment it seems to do it only by usage and I think we need to do it a lot more advanced than that. So when ratings and reviews come we should start doing it by usage and by applications that have a higher rating than the one you use a lot for instance. Hardware compatibility could be included in this work but id say ratings+history would be good in the short term. --fagan On Wed, Nov 17, 2010 at 3:05 PM, Arian van Gend aria...@gmail.com wrote: Like I said, we should guide new user (or experienced users doing something new) to these options. However, I still feel that the situation you describe only means that the software centre (search) should be improved. If the list of results is so unclear, it should be improved, otherwise, it would be as useless for all other possible use cases (an experienced user would also have to tediously read all descriptions to find a good program). Therefore, in my opinion, the software centre is still the way to go. Maybe the first time you plug in a device, you could get a message about the software centre, or have it open with a relevant search result shown. This way the user learns the actions to undertake in the future. To improve the search results, we could show the relevant program separately as they are directly connected to the device in question. They could be shown in a different way from the rest of the results to emphasize this. This would in my opinion help your grandmother enough to get by. ;) 2010/11/16 Bret Kuhns bku...@gmail.com Instead, I feel we should show new users how to use the software centre, which does an more than adequate job in managing software for the user. Although a perfectly valid point, I think we'd be throwing new users to the wolves with this approach. Say my mom plugs in a webcam and it installs properly in the background and is ready to go in seconds. She knows the software center would be used to find a program to use with her webcam based on your idea of education. She then types webcam in the search and gets a list of programs, the first being Cheese Webcam Booth. Webcam Booth? Is that like those photo booths you see at weddings? That must not be what she's looking for. Most of the other programs listed in the search results for webcam aren't very informative based off their name. Yes there are descriptions with more details on a lot of programs, but who has time to sit down and read each description objectively before deciding which is best for them? I think recommendations for new users is ideal. There can always be a stop nagging me option so these recommendations on detection of new hardware go away, but I think it'll go a long way for new users (or even experience users that maybe never had a webcam before). Even something as simple as a one-off hey we see you plugged in a webcam, Cheese or Kamoso would be great programs to use with it. Click here to read more about them in the software center dialog can get the point across and help users. Bret Kuhns On Mon, Nov 15, 2010 at 9:31 AM, Arian van Gend wa...@ziggo.nl wrote: I agree that it is a good idea to support new users in such cases, but most people would get annoyed by these suggestions as they progress in their use of the system. Instead, I feel we should show new users how to use the software centre, which does an more than adequate job in managing software for the user. When they learn that the software centre can perform such actions for them, it can become helpful to make it aware of what a user may need. For example, when attaching for example a web-cam the following could happen: The device should just work. Only notify the user of anything if something goes wrong. When a user attaches a web-cam, it knows it did that, so there is no need to bash him with redundant messages, like Windows does. For comparison, a Mac will not display these useless messages. If the user has used this device before, then we're basically done. He will know what to do. A new user should have been gently guided to the software centre by way of education (by another user, the installation process, first-time run, or the system itself at some point). The user will then automatically try the software centre for getting under way. In the software centre itself,
[Ayatana] Applications suggestion according to hardware capabilities
Hi, I have some thoughts about a possible feature that can be added to unity. it's the ability to suggest applications to the user for a specific hardware he has or when he connects it to the system. Scenarios: 1. A user connect a webcam : Suggest using cheese 2. A user connect a digitizer : Suggest using Gimp/Inkscape and may open a tutorial of how modifying parameters or using the hardware there. 3. If a multitouch device is detected, an icon is added (or an existant one animates or blinks) and when clicked/hovered it opens the Software center with applications suggestion. This feature needs to detect the user hardware capabilities and suggest according to that. It is also very related to this Software Center 'bug': https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/software-center/+bug/674633 it still an idea, so what you think about it ? i ___ Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~ayatana Post to : ayatana@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~ayatana More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
Re: [Ayatana] Applications suggestion according to hardware capabilities
On Mon, Nov 15, 2010 at 6:31 AM, Arian van Gend wa...@ziggo.nl wrote: I agree that it is a good idea to support new users in such cases, but most ... The device should just work. Only notify the user of anything if something goes wrong. When a user attaches a web-cam, it knows it did that, so there is no need to bash him with redundant messages, like Windows does. For comparison, a Mac will not display these useless messages. ... Sorry but I have to disagree. The sounds on Windows when plugging and unplugging a device provide good feedback on when the device is available and/or in the process of installing a driver which may be time consuming. Much better than guessing if the device is there. But +1 on The device should just work. ___ Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~ayatana Post to : ayatana@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~ayatana More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
Re: [Ayatana] Applications suggestion according to hardware capabilities
Sounds are one thing. Popups in the taskbar saying device X was inserted and/or on the screen saying you plugged in device X would you like to do Y are another. Date: Mon, 15 Nov 2010 07:04:18 -0800 From: witt...@gmail.com To: wa...@ziggo.nl CC: ayatana@lists.launchpad.net Subject: Re: [Ayatana] Applications suggestion according to hardware capabilities On Mon, Nov 15, 2010 at 6:31 AM, Arian van Gend wa...@ziggo.nl wrote: I agree that it is a good idea to support new users in such cases, but most ... The device should just work. Only notify the user of anything if something goes wrong. When a user attaches a web-cam, it knows it did that, so there is no need to bash him with redundant messages, like Windows does. For comparison, a Mac will not display these useless messages. ... Sorry but I have to disagree. The sounds on Windows when plugging and unplugging a device provide good feedback on when the device is available and/or in the process of installing a driver which may be time consuming. Much better than guessing if the device is there. But +1 on The device should just work. ___ Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~ayatana Post to : ayatana@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~ayatana More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp ___ Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~ayatana Post to : ayatana@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~ayatana More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
Re: [Ayatana] Applications suggestion according to hardware capabilities
GNOME already does this for some hardware. I wonder if that could be extended for your suggestions? On Mon, Nov 15, 2010 at 7:31 AM, Mohamed Ikbel Boulabiar boulab...@gmail.com wrote: Hi, I have some thoughts about a possible feature that can be added to unity. it's the ability to suggest applications to the user for a specific hardware he has or when he connects it to the system. Scenarios: 1. A user connect a webcam : Suggest using cheese 2. A user connect a digitizer : Suggest using Gimp/Inkscape and may open a tutorial of how modifying parameters or using the hardware there. 3. If a multitouch device is detected, an icon is added (or an existant one animates or blinks) and when clicked/hovered it opens the Software center with applications suggestion. This feature needs to detect the user hardware capabilities and suggest according to that. It is also very related to this Software Center 'bug': https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/software-center/+bug/674633 it still an idea, so what you think about it ? i ___ Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~ayatana Post to : ayatana@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~ayatana More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp ___ Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~ayatana Post to : ayatana@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~ayatana More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
