Re: [Ayatana] [Fwd: Re: [Re: Ubuntu User Experience Guidelines]]

[Thorsten Wilms <t_w_@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On Sun, 2009-10-04 at 07:54 +0800, Allan Caeg wrote:
> email message attachment, "Forwarded message - Re: [Ayatana] [Re:
> Ubuntu User Experience Guidelines]"
> > -------- Forwarded Message --------
> > From: Allan Caeg <allancaeg@xxxxxxxxx>
> > To: t_w_@xxxxxxxxxx
> > Subject: Re: [Ayatana] [Re: Ubuntu User Experience Guidelines]
> > Date: Sun, 04 Oct 2009 07:54:19 +0800

Allan, if you happen to use Evolution, I would recommend that you get
used to using Reply-to-list (Ctrl-L) ;)
Then there's Edit-as-new-message to avoid forwarding.


> >  For the next release, it's strategic to aim
> > at the young and web-savvy but it doesn't seem ideal to put in the list
> > something like "Ubuntu is aimed at working for the young web-savvy
> > professionals" because the public won't appreciate that and I don't
> > think it's the long term goal. This kind of information has to stay
> > internal to avoid controversies. 

I don't think the public in a wider sense takes note of such details.
Once you leave Canonical, there's not much sense of something staying
"internal". Finally, don't be afraid of controversies.


> > > Cool, but it's frozen, if not dead. I had to realize that it had almost
> > > no effect on my fellow artwork contributors and once there was a design
> > > team at Canonical in place, I thought it would be up to them.
> > If so, something has to be done about this. Ubuntu is a distro, not a 
> > personal OS of any artwork contributor (unless it's sabdfl of course). 
> > They have to follow the "Ubuntu way" that we're trying to clearly define 
> > here.

Remember that you talk about spare time contributors, doing artwork as a
hobby. There is no "have to", you can only encourage/discourage and pick
something or nothing from what is offered.


> > My definition of usability is similar to
> > yours but some developers or designers may have a different perception
> > on this so we have to hear it from them so that we can set a common
> > goal.

You don't necessarily get the best definitions by asking many people ...


> > I mentioned the GNOME's HIG and Tango's guidelines but other people
> > aren't very keen on following them exclusively (see earlier posts here).
> > It just means that we're not looking at UX with a similar lens. With
> > different goals, the works of various developers and designers would be
> > messy.

Yes.


> > If developing for a specific DE is saddening to you and making it distro-
> > specific is even worse, what would you suggest? My understanding of a 
> > distro is that it's a unique operating system following its own principles 
> > so it's just natural that it has unique components that are included based
> > on a standard. Without a standard of inclusion, the OS would be messy.
> > If customization worries you, the user can always take stuff out and add
> > on Ubuntu.

To me, a distro is definitively not an unique operating system.

I'm not worried about some level of customization.

What I meant: apps like GIMP, Inkscape, X-Chat, Ardour ... they are
written for Linux (plus ports) and not Ubuntu. That's good. I don't want
to see that change, although it would be great if there was less
friction caused by differences between distros and the need for
packaging.


> > It really sounds like a tough job but there's a large community that 
> > dedicated to this in Ubuntu. We have employed people and a lot of 
> > passionate volunteers here. With enough work, we can develop a good enough 
> > set of UX principles.

You seem to assume that having many people on it would help. I think it
would cause unnecessary friction and loss of focus.

Anyway, it would remain to be seen how many people would actually get
involved.


> > After coming up with a set of principles approved by sabdfl, I suggest
> > requiring it to be signed by developers and designers just like the Ubuntu
> > Code of Conduct. Signing would be like reciting a hippocratic oath 
> > (got the idea from
> > http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2009/10/02/a-hippocratic-oath-for-user-experience-designers/ )
> > With its help, UX will get the attention it has always been lacking.

Interesting and scary. People just love feeling pressure, being pushed
and taking on commitments :)

Better consider the guidelines as statement of intent from the project
and as a tool offered as help.


-- 
Thorsten Wilms

thorwil's design for free software:
http://thorwil.wordpress.com/