Randomthots wrote:
I think the core of the problem (i.e. freaked out naive users) is
attributable to the manner in which Windows assigns icons to file types.
I'm NOT a naive user; I've been computing for about 25 years now. I've
sat through hundreds of program and OS installs. I'm currently running
a dual-boot box with XP and FC4. But I'll admit that the first time I
installed OOo on XP and then saw the familiar Word, Excel, and
Powerpoint icons replaced with a flock of seagulls I had a WTF!?
moment. I didn't freak out and start flinging accusations. Instead I
calmly reset the Explorer view to List mode (which is where I prefer
it anyway) and verified the file extensions. Then I took a few minutes
to figure out what happened and why.
Honestly, for all those years I had never really thought about how
Windows assigns those icons. I had always just tacitly assumed that
they were assigned based on file extensions. Well, they are, but not
directly. Rather an app is associated with the extension and the icons
are assigned from the app.
So the icons are based (indirectly) on the extension. If there's no app
associated, a generic icon is assigned.
Trust me on this... it's the icon change that freaks people out. They
don't know beans about file associations nor are they interested. In
fact my wife, who is a very intelligent woman -- measured IQ around
140 -- and a gifted artist, nonetheless considers the innards of
computers to be something of a black art. She is constantly asking me
if I saved something IN OpenOffice or IN Microsoft Word as if the
program itself is a container for documents in some way. I try to
explain to her that the question doesn't really make sense and why but
she just gets annoyed at me.
I don't blame her! What she's asking is "Is it saved in Word FORMAT?"
We really need to look at new users as falling into one of four
categories based on two separate criteria. They either do or do not
already have MSO installed on their machines, and they either do or do
not have the tech savvy to understand the file association question
and the ramifications thereof.
If the user DOES have MSO installed then they are likely trying out
OOo either out of curiosity or they don't want to pay for an upgrade
to MSO or whatever. I would wager that the vast majority of those
people do NOT want the association change. At least not yet, not on
the first installation. I want to try the thing out first. The
technically literate will see the question, understand it, and think
"That's strange. I've never seen that before.", leave the boxes
unchecked and move on. The technically naive will NOT understand, may
or may not check the boxes -- depending on their particular
mis-apprehension, and then may or may not end up writing the list all
freaked out.
And then when they want to open a word DOC file in OOo, they won't know
what to do!
The install code should be changed to only create the associations if
none currently exist in the registry. The piece of code that changes
current associations should be re-used by making a "File Association
Wizard" accessible from the Tools menu perhaps.
I like the suggested simplified installation. "If you check the
following box, you will be able to open a Microsoft Word/Excel/PP file
with OpenOffice by clicking on it but you will not be able to open it in
Word/Excel/PP by clicking on it." Etc.
--
Pete Holsberg
Columbus, NJ
--
There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be
to trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty.
--John Adams, Journal, 1772
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