[Unity is definitely not for new comers] Re: ubuntu-users Digest, Vol 80, Issue 209

[Tom H]

On Sat, Apr 30, 2011 at 11:28 PM, James <p3nndrag0n at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I actually think that Gnome and KDE interfaces would be more intuitive
> for newbies in that they more closely resemble the windows start
> button interface from whence most newbies appear to come, e.g. the
> applications menu is the functional equiv of the programs sub menu,
> the system menu is equiv of the control panel, and places is the equiv
> of my computer. For newbies coming from a windows environment the
> unity interface would represent a new learning curve on top of the
> linux environment possibly making them linux is even more alien to
> them. If I were aiming at the noob them I'd give them an interface
> more closely ressembling that which they're migrating from. So I'd
> agree more with the previous poster on this. Unity might potentially
> scare off the noob looking at Linux for the first time. As many  people
> seem to dislike change that could potentially put them off if it's too big
> a change in one hit. Just some thoughts

Total FUD. I've used my parents as GUi guinea pigs for the last 2-3
years (both 71 this year). I've installed Fedora, Mint, and Ubuntu on
their laptops both GNOME and KDE. After initially saying "what have
you done now?", they quickly figured out how to launch their and use
five main apps (email, browser, mp3 player, wmv player, office) and
change their desktops. And they didn't look back. Furthermore, unless
you're using Mint, GNOME doesn't behave like Windows given that it's
default menus are at the top like OS X.