Ubuntu usability test

[Liam Proven]

2008/12/31 Nils Kassube <kassube at gmx.net>:

> How is that FUD? FUD would be intentionally misleading but Brians
> statement doesn't look too wrong and the possible error doesn't seem to
> be intentional. He didn't say that XP Home and XP Pro are fundamentally
> different products. And XP Pro does exactly what Brian described: several
> useless messages if I connect a previously unknown device like a USB
> disk. So he even thought that XP Pro was better than it actually is - I
> wouldn't call that FUD.

Your mileage clearly varies.

It seems to me that if we are trying to draw comparisons between Linux
and Windows, trying to find ways to improve Windows, then it's
important to start with factual comparisons. On *both* sides. One
needs to be sure of what one is saying, and if one is not sure, to
flag this fact:

Good... "I don't know if this I am comparing different service
releases, but I have seen XP Home do /x/ while I have seen XP Pro do
/y/..."

(This makes it clear that we are discussing a personal observation
that is not certain.)

Bad... "Ah, well, everyone knows XP Pro and XP Home are different, but
Home does /x/ while Pro does /y/..."

(This appears to assert as fact something that is not *known* to be true).

Presenting uncertain observations as certain, presenting opinion as
fact, not knowing what one is certain about versus what one merely
believes, these are bad things. They muddy the water of debate, when
one needs the waters to be as clear as possible.

-- 
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