more, Ubiquity Slideshow for Ubuntu

[mac_v]

Phil Bull wrote:
> All of the discussion is about
> "what the slideshow can do" when it should be about "how can the user
> achieve their aim?". I think that you've decided on an implementation
> without having a *clear* idea about what your users want, or even who
> your users are!

On the contrary, i had written about how to achieve the users aim.
 maybe my mail wasnt structured properly , but if your read the mails
again...
I had said:
1: the slideshow needs to be in sections [new users from windows/apple,
Upgrading]
2: from the new users section a simple intro to the differences , to
setup the user to familiarize the system would be ideal.
3: Within this new users section, dividing the purpose of the user, ask
a simple question> what is the aim of use?[entertainment/education/work]
and showing about programs related to their purpose.
4: For upgrading users the slideshow needs to be only about the new
features.


Someone had said that the new features are in the release notes, But
1: *How many users actually read all the release notes* ? most of the
upgrades are done from the update manager, so users usually dont read
them. and sometimes there is just a lot of non essential stuff in the
release notes structure that the essential points are not read through.

2: When the user is upgrading , what is the use in saying you can do
stuff with fspot/firefox/open office... etc... the upgrading user
already knows this! And these slides just will be ignored.

3: Presenting the new features like the demo of the notify-osd in
action, would be better than reading about it from release notes which
will not achieve the full understanding of the new feature

> Do you have any evidence that this is the information
> that users are looking for? Have you observed any new users trying
> Ubuntu for the first time, without someone there to prompt them? (BTW,
> if you have, I'd love for you to share the data with me).
> 

I do not have any published documentations , but my observations are
basically from after i'v installed Ubuntu for family and friends.

> I'm pretty familiar with this concept, having tried and failed with
> similar things on several occasions. From what I've read of the planning
> discussion, I think that you're making the same mistakes that I did. So,
> my suggestion is that you rewind, start from the very beginning, and
> answer these questions:
> 
>       * What happens when a user tries Ubuntu for the first time?

The first thing the most of them ask is>
1: where is the start button!
2: They mistake the show desktop button for the start button!
3: other questions are what is this places! and what are these,where is
my computer, control panel... any basic familiar Windows Xp jargon
4: They did not realize that applets could be added to the panel.

But the plus side is that they had no problem with starting firefox and
browsing.

>       * Who are these users and what are they trying to do?

The users are familiar with WINDOWS XP , and since they get viruses or
some freezes/ hangs / system slowdowns over a period of time , i usually
recommend them to try Ubuntu Live CD. and have installed Ubuntu &
Xubuntu for them.

Their use is more for browsing the web, downloading , watching
movies.... Basically home users using the system for entertainment.

>       * Does your user testing data indicate a need for some sort of
>         user assistance?
>

Yes, since their use is more for entertainment , they usually get
worried over the proprietary warning in the repos.

and in case they need any other softwares other than the ones in the
default repos they find it difficult> example the medibuntu repos.

> Perhaps you already have answers to these and have started work on the
> slideshow based on your findings, 

No, i havent planned on a slideshow, but i liked the idea but was taken
aback when the slideshow didnt have any usefulness at introducing the
user to the system usage , i felt i needed to add my 2c :)

But the problems with the present slide show was that it didnt cater to
the most basic new user nor to the existing user...Thereby serving no
actual purpose in a "Simple Intro to Ubuntu"... this cannot be achieved
by a common slideshow. there needs to be separate sections for each.

I in no means want to minuscule the work done so far on the slideshow,
which btw is a commendable effort, but was just trying to express what i
felt as the weakness of the existing format.

Cheers,
mac_v