Hi Anne; On Thu, 2007-01-04 at 17:27 +0000, Anne Wilson wrote: > On Thursday 04 January 2007 17:18, William Case wrote: > > Hi Jim; > > > > A really good article. It says again what needs to be said and revels a > > viable opportunity for Linux development. > > > > Really? What did he say that you found helpful? I didn't see anything that > impressed me at all. > No, Anne there wasn't anything said in the article that could be called *impressive* but it did reiterate a feeling among some who come to Linux initially with a user's perspective. Before I first downloaded Linux about 3 years ago, I had been working with computers for about 25 years, but always as a user; to write reports, create business plans and/or communications strategies. I had long thought that even with all the development effort none was really going in the right direction to just help the user. In light of the recent, and still on-going, thread here about "Getting people into Linux" the article "Programmers to blame for hard-to-use software" seemed apropos. It was certainly outside confirmation of what some have said in that other thread and have been maintaining more generally for a long time. To add one more personal comment, when I first tried Linux three years ago I had several expectations (perhaps false). One was that I could get past the MS$ veil of incomprehensibility and for the first time really learn how computers work. That expectation has been more than met. Today I would be nowhere else except in Linux. On the odd occasion when I have to do some work in a Windows program I consider it a real drudgery. The second expectation I had for Linux, is that somewhere amongst all the normal routine applications, programs and development that a living Operating System needs, would be a few inventive, radical experimenting people who would be trying new things way before their time. I have looked throughout the Linux world and have not had that expectation met. I suppose the article referred to hinted at the hope someone would take up the user's gauntlet. Thanks for lending me your ear (eye?). -- Regards Bill
