unity-design team mailing list archive

[Matthew Paul Thomas <mpt@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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Ethan Hogue wrote on 26/02/14 03:48:
> ...
> 
> I opened a bug against Unity here 
> <https://bugs.launchpad.net/ayatana-design/+bug/1283619> proposing 
> that Ubuntu's desktop come with some sort of tutorial for when a
> new user first logs in.  I figured that I'd mention it here as well
> and get some opinions.

As cmaglothin said, this is an idea that has been proposed in various
forms for many years.

In general, we've had the approach that Ubuntu should be obvious
enough to learn -- or at least, inviting enough to explore -- without
a tutorial.

That doesn't mean it's a decision carved in stone. For example, the
Ubuntu Touch interface relies heavily on edge swipes, and therefore
isn't as self-evident as other mobile OSes. So Ubuntu Touch does have
a first-run tutorial. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HreKruXnn_A>

One reason to avoid a tutorial on the PC is that we can't tell whether
someone logging in for the first time is a novice, an expert, or
something in between. What would do in the guest session, for example?
That's even more likely to be used by a novice than a normal session
is. But if you're not a novice, repeatedly dismissing the tutorial
whenever you use the guest session would be like having to click "Skip
Intro" whenever you visit a particular Web site.

This isn't a black-or-white question, though. There are many possible
steps between offering no help at all, and having a fully modal
tutorial. One famous example is the "Click here to begin" arrow
bouncing off the Start button in Windows 95.
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UxwAlqCCmk> It helped novices, and
didn't interrupt experts.

> I've attached a 2d animation I made, giving an idea of the kind of
> solution I think would work.
> 
> ...

Nice work with the animation! Perhaps you could mock up ways that we
could guide novices around the actual interface, without a full-blown
tutorial.

- -- 
mpt
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