unity-design team mailing list archive

[Bret Kuhns <bkuhns@xxxxxxxxx>]

>
> 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.


Although a perfectly valid point, I think we'd be throwing new users to the
wolves with this approach. Say my mom plugs in a webcam and it installs
properly in the background and is ready to go in seconds. She knows the
software center would be used to find a program to use with her webcam based
on your idea of education. She then types "webcam" in the search and gets a
list of programs, the first being "Cheese Webcam Booth". Webcam Booth? Is
that like those photo booths you see at weddings? That must not be what
she's looking for. Most of the other programs listed in the search results
for "webcam" aren't very informative based off their name. Yes there are
descriptions with more details on a lot of programs, but who has time to sit
down and read each description objectively before deciding which is best for
them?

I think recommendations for new users is ideal. There can always be a "stop
nagging me" option so these recommendations on detection of new hardware go
away, but I think it'll go a long way for new users (or even experience
users that maybe never had a webcam before). Even something as simple as a
one-off "hey we see you plugged in a webcam, Cheese or Kamoso would be great
programs to use with it. Click here to read more about them in the software
center" dialog can get the point across and help users.

Bret Kuhns


On Mon, Nov 15, 2010 at 9:31 AM, Arian van Gend <waggy@xxxxxxxx> wrote:

> 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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