unity-design team mailing list archive

[Arian van Gend <waggy@xxxxxxxx>]

I agree that it is a good idea to support new users in such cases, but most
people would get annoyed by these suggestions as they progress in their use
of the system.
Instead, I feel we should show new users how to use the software centre,
which does an more than adequate job in managing software for the user.
When they learn that the software centre can perform such actions for them,
it can become helpful to make it aware of what a user may need.
For example, when attaching for example a web-cam the following could
happen:
The device should just work. Only notify the user of anything if something
goes wrong. When a user attaches a web-cam, it knows it did that, so there
is no need to bash him with redundant messages, like Windows does. For
comparison, a Mac will not display these useless messages.
If the user has used this device before, then we're basically done. He will
know what to do.
A new user should have been gently guided to the software centre by way of
education (by another user, the installation process, first-time run, or the
system itself at  some point). The user will then automatically try the
software centre for getting under way.
In the software centre itself, the recommended programs list displayed could
be altered to show helpful applications for that device. This enables a user
to quickly find what he needs (if it isn't installed already) through a
standardized procedure.

How should we guide the user to the software centre? I think it would be a
good idea to have the search function (which in my opinion should be made a
central component of Unity anyway) make these suggestions. So when searching
for 'web-cam', Unity could provide results related to possible programs to
install for that (directly linking to the relevant page in the software
centre).

Doing this avoids annoying more experienced users, and still helps newer
users on their way.

Just my 2cts.

2010/11/15 Mohamed Ikbel Boulabiar <boulabiar@xxxxxxxxx>

> Hi,
>
> I have some thoughts about a possible feature that can be added to unity.
> it's the ability to suggest applications to the user for a specific
> hardware he has or when he connects it to the system.
>
> Scenarios:
> 1. A user connect a webcam : Suggest using cheese
> 2. A user connect a digitizer : Suggest using Gimp/Inkscape and may
> open a tutorial of how modifying parameters or using the hardware
> there.
> 3. If a multitouch device is detected, an icon is added (or an
> existant one animates or blinks) and when clicked/hovered it opens the
> Software center with applications suggestion.
>
> This feature needs to detect the user hardware capabilities and
> suggest according to that.
> It is also very related to this Software Center 'bug':
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/software-center/+bug/674633
>
> it still an idea, so what you think about it ?
>
> i
>
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