[ubuntu-uk] Unity is not working.

[James Morrissey]

Without stating any preferences on a thread which is likely to bring
forth opinions: As i understand it, the current Unity Interface is (at
least in part) the result of the sort of testing you are describing:

http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2012/02/mark-shuttleworth-explains-dodge-ditch-decision-in-precise/

https://lists.launchpad.net/unity-design/msg07682.html

j

On 22 February 2012 13:43, Kris Douglas <krisdouglas at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello,
>
> Linux Mint is higher in the rankings than Ubuntu.
> I have just come off the phone with a customer, we write web
> applications and we prefer they use Google Chrome because we're
> planning to write a plugin and all sorts, but that is irrelevant.
>
> This customer called in, asked if he could install chrome on his new
> Ubuntu desktop. I thought, "Great, another Ubuntu user in the world".
> I got him to open Firefox and download TeamViewer (we have a premium
> license) so I could show him how to install Chrome. We went through
> the stages, got it installed and working, but then, he asked where to
> open TeamViewer. He said "It's not on the desktop icons down the left"
> and I directed him to open the applications menu "What applications
> menu?".
>
> This person is not stupid, however he did not know where the unity
> menu (or whatever it's called) was located. We spent around 15 minutes
> trying to get to the stage where he could open TeamViewer. It ended up
> me asking to type "Ctrl+Alt+T" to which he replied "Oh a terminal,
> ok".
>
> We had TeamViewer running in seconds.
>
> Now what is the problem with this? A user that doesn't know how to
> open the applications menu must raise alarm bells somewhere. He has
> has this machine for 6 weeks thinking it only had the icons down the
> left installed on it. (i.e the Unity Dock). Now someone could say to
> me "why didn't he read the manual?" The answer to that question is
> "Why should he need to?". Not even my Nan when she got her new Windows
> 7 laptop (after previously never using windows 7) read a manual, or
> needed to.
>
> Why is it that Unity requires the user to be an expert. A picture of
> the ubuntu logo means a lot to us, but to someone who goes and buys a
> cheap computer it means jack all. They wouldn't think to click there
> there is no hit that explains it's existence.
>
> So the question, I ask, is why is Linux Mint higher in the rankings
> than Ubuntu. The answer is simple, no joe average can use Ubuntu with
> ease now! You login to mint, you have a menu that says, believe it or
> not, "MENU" and when you click it, again, believe it or not, it shows
> you the program categories you can choose from (e.g "Oh, I want the
> Internet, oh look Firefox, I know what that is."). It makes sense to
> the user, it is what they are used to and it is a very friendly and
> comfortable environment.
>
> The electrician I work with on this software has been telling me for
> two years now, meaning NO offence to anyone at all, but "The user is
> stupid". I know this is not the most tactful way to put it, but after
> hearing this for two years I know what he means. Basically the
> principle is, the programmer is able to use the software, because he
> made it, he is an expert. If you give that to a user, who has no idea,
> he will have no idea how to use it. I am now writing software that
> explains itself, that has buttons that are obvious to the user, and it
> works. The number of phone calls we get are severely reduced, and the
> customer satisfaction is up massively. Us geeks who are writing this
> software have no idea how users think most of the time, this is
> because we are in theory "more intelligent" which is not necessarily
> true, but when it comes to the software we are, we understand the
> terminology.
>
> I could talk about this for hours, and I am going to write a blog post
> about it, people will have a go at me because I'm bashing the "perfect
> distribution". But seriously, think about what I have said, and test
> it on people, and then tell me I am wrong. Turn of the "I am a geek I
> know everything about Ubuntu" for a minute, and imagine you had no
> idea what ubuntu was or how unity worked. You wouldn't have the
> foggiest idea.
>
> I would appreciate feedback, positive or negative on this. I don't
> want another "Unity is better because it's better" or "gnome2 should
> be brought back because it's what I like". That's not how it works.
>
> Unity is honestly broken, someone must understand this, I will happily
> speak to people in person or on email in more detail about this. I am
> willing to help, but you have to understand first that Unity is not
> quite there yet first.
>
>
> --
> Regards, Kris Douglas.
>  www.krisd.eu
>
> --
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