[mythtv-users] Why Free Software has poor usability ?

[JEDIDIAH]

On Thu, Aug 07, 2008 at 09:06:14AM -0400, John Drescher wrote:
> On Thu, Aug 7, 2008 at 8:53 AM, Mike Perkins
> <mikep at randomtraveller.org.uk> wrote:
> > David Brodbeck wrote:
> >> Raphael wrote:
> >>> Heck, I quit using anything to do with MS office and solely use Open
> >>> Office _because_ of usability.
> >> I dunno, Open Office is I think a classic example of "chasing
> >> taillights."  They're basically trying to make a work-alike for an
> >> obsolete version of Microsoft Office at this point.
> >>
> > They're basically trying to make a work-alike for a version of Microsoft Office
> > *that everyone knows how to use* at this point.
> >
> Microsoft decided to completely redesign the GUI for most of its
> office products with no option of backward compatibility forcing
> everyone who knew the old interface (which was basically the same for
> at least 10 years) to relearn how to use office. For me at work most
> of my users after having the new office for a few days asked for the
> old office back since they did not want to spend valuable time
> relearning office. I certainly would not call that a usability
> improvement.

    Also keep in mind that there's considerable overlap between msoffice
itself and what it originally displaced. Unless you decide to go off on
some wild acid-trip UI tangent, there really isn't that much you can do
to distinguish yourself. 

    ...of course MS did just this sort of acid-trip in their current
release and it's driving experienced users nuts. 10 years is being
conservative. Some of us have expectations developed over 14 or more
years of roughly similar apps doing similar things from multiple 
vendors.

    If OO cloned the style of AmiPro there would still be people
whining about this "taillight chasing" thing.