[xubuntu-users] A Bionic Experience

[Peter Flynn]

On 07/04/18 10:18, Leigh S wrote
> Remove Installation Media:
> 
> I can definitely say that there was no indication to remove installation
> media as I have seen on other distributions, as I distinctly remember
> thinking that I should take it out but as it was not written then I
> wouldn't risk it.
> Probably it's something that everyone just 'knows'.

No, absolutely not. Everyone *here* probably knows it, but if Ubuntu is
targeting itself as Linux for Human Beings, then it should be paying
attention to the expectations of new users, who certainly *won't* know.

The problem with UX design is that "user experience" is relatively easy
to measure — at least, there are dozens of ways to measure it, some more
useful than others; whereas "user expectations" have been for a long
time something of a neglected corner that usability people don't really
like to talk about because they're really hard to measure.

As you say, a lot of it is down to the vocabulary. Some is also down to
logic, which designers and programmers know and understand, but the
actual live warm-body end-user may not. I certainly got burned once (a
long time ago, it might have been Fedora 8 or thereabouts) by popping
out the CD after the installation had finished, assuming whatever was
executing would have finished whatever it was doing. But no, whatever it
was, was still doing something, goddess knows what, and the whole system
locked up and wouldn't power off. I had to pull the plug. No matter how
many years of experience, my *expectation* was that the thing should
call halt() and not carry on doing stuff.

> USB 3.0 ports:
> 
> Is this common (I found this solution from somewhere, so it must be I
> guess)?
> Is it only on certain hardware?

I am guessing yes. My problems were on a Dell laptop, sample of one :-)

> I will try the IRC, thanks for the link as I have often wondered what
> IRC is :)

I used to use it a lot socially, back in the days after I migrated to
TCP/IP from BITNET :-) I did once try the Ubuntu support channel: it was
full of people but the silence was deafening.

> My last time really doing any coding etc was with a ZX81 and then in
> the early 80's at Uni in FORTRAN and since then only things like
> SIMULINK & R (& them always with the help of expert colleagues), so
> its the terminology and the how the whole community process works
> that baffles me most

Feel free to shout for help. I've spent the last 40 years supporting
users in my various jobs, and I too started with FORTRAN, so Ii feel
your pain :-)

> Anyway, the main thing is that the whole idea of open source and
> communities is so appealing to me as someone who grew up in the late
> 70's with punk - so I should get off my @rse and help.

You are most welcome.

> But first I will have to get the washing in and get lunch ready
> before my wife comes back from work or she will have my b at lls for
> garters - oh how the mighty have fallen.
I think we may be in similar positions (at least, shortly :-)

///Peter