Dear very astute reader,
My name is Annie Morino, and I am an Allegheny College student working on the Fedora Design Spin web page. My intention for this page is to upload potential content that I think would be helpful to a technologically uninformed user. The more I use the design spin, I will include notes and comments about the different programs, and any bugs I may or may not find.
Notes on Fedora Design Spin, April 15th, 2010
<font-size:1pc> First the Bad News, The design spin of Fedora 13 uses an email software called Evolution. When it is opened, the program tells the user that they are working with an unfinished product. It seems like the Fedora team has installed a program that will not be complete, and therefore will not work. If the Fedora team wants new users, they should not assume that the new users are going to want to wrestle with incomplete software. The program suggests using the previous edition of the software. It really makes more sense to put the previous (complete) version on Fedora 13. If the user wants, he or she should just be able to upgrade the software on their own, or the Fedora team could give the user information about the new upgrade later on. The more the new users have to figure out for themselves, the less patient they will be with Fedora 13, and the less likely they will be to use it. Also, Evolution does not like to close down with just the corner "x" button. When the button is clicked, it continues its process of installing the unfinished software.
The Design Spin includes a program called Agave. It is listed in the applications under graphics. It seems like a very interesting program, but once the user opens it, there is no instruction on what to do next. If the users clicks help, then the program website, it becomes a little clearer that this program works in conjunction with GIMP. However, there are still no functions or tools to the program. All it does is pick color schemes. It is very unclear as to what the color schemes are for, and how to use them or save them.
Now for the Good News...
The notebook function next to the Firefox logo is very cool. It is a lot like notepad and word processors on windows, but I think the idea of having different "notebooks" will appeal to many designers. The notebooks seem more personal and artistic than a word document. It is the silly tools like this that make people buy a piece of software or a computer.
The intro to inkscape was very accessible, and helpful. Though the documents are written for middle school children to understand, the directions do not need to be anymore difficult than that.
Suggestions...
It would be VERY helpful to have a glossary and a directory telling new users about equivalent terms between Fedora and Mac, and Fedora and Windows. I tried to save a file, and was not sure what the equivalent to "My Documents" was. The more accessible and simple you make your explanations, the more people will like Fedora. Many people are already familiar with the Fedora lingo, but those users are not the ones you need to target to spread the operating system
Another directory that would be helpful would be a list of abbreviations and acronyms used in the help guides about Fedora. It is very frustrating when you are trying to look for an answer to a simple question, but all you can find is computer lingo. Assume that no one will know what you are talking about ever unless you literally spell the words out for them.
It also might be handy to have a bug report introduction on the desktop like the inkscape introduction. Because Bug reporting is such an important part of the Fedora community, you need your users to be very fluent in the language of bug reporting BEFORE they find a bug.
Thanks for reading!