Re: Gnome 3 usability - one user's comments

[Olav Vitters <olav vitters nl>]

On Wed, Jun 15, 2011 at 12:37:05PM -0300, Sergio de Almeida Lenzi wrote:
> Em Qua, 2011-06-15 às 16:35 +0200, Olav Vitters escreveu:
> > On Wed, Jun 15, 2011 at 11:18:05AM -0300, Sergio de Almeida Lenzi wrote:
> > > Yes, I agree, power users will "see"  the great advantage gnome shell,
> > > but for each one
> > 
> > 1. You mentioned you weren't able to use GNOME shell
> 
> I can use gnome3, and in fact it works... have some minor problems,
> but works... but I am a "power" user... but as I said, for ONE me,
> there are many that are "windows users" ...

Ok, good to know.

> > 2. You're speaking on other peoples behalf
> >    I can easily say 'people will think GNOME3 is the best thing since
> >    sliced bread' and we'll get nowhere.
> 
> Do not agree... I give support for 3 companies (more than 200 users)
> and only about 10 windows (virtualbox)  users (that access windows
> using vncviewer) from gnome desktop, main use is bank access that
> works only in windows... the servers are FreeBSD and the users use
> mainly thin clients (that uses 15in monitors and X vesa in 1024x768)
> they use on site software (kind of erp...) that runs on the postgres
> servers (FreeBSD) and there are a 6 core 12Gb memory, AMD64 running
> arch linux X64. The thin clients boot on FreeBSD, and do a X -query
> nnnn  (nnn is the archlinux)

What I meant was:
If you actually saw the problems people had, then please raise the exact
issues they had. I see you did that below, regarding fallback mode.

It seemed like you said that based on your feelings, it would be bad for
others. That will just be ignored (fwiw, my judgement is that it would
be awesome for the 20.000 or so users in the business unit I work for;
my feeling doesn't mean much).

> I tested gnome3 in 4 users, for 3 days, and none could operate it in
> the "compatible" mode (no desktop icons, the panel does not respond to
> the right click of the mouse.... (ok now I know there is a key
> sequence...)). I am now considering using gnome2 from FreeBSD..
> (shut down the archlinux)

Fallback mode you mean?

It was meant to look like GNOME3, but it actually is just a different
GNOME2. That why it is called fallback, as the default look and
behaviour is meant to follow GNOME3 as closely as possible.


> > More constructive regarding some things you mentioned in a previous
> > email:
> > - You can have Nautilus take over the desktop in fallback mode
> 
> ok... where is the documentation on how to??

Not meant to be changed by users, so it is not in the user
documentation.

I think they put an option in 'gnome-tweak-tool', if not, please file a
bug to have that option there.

> > - You can change the panel (hold alt while right clicking)
> 
> again, where is the documentation for that?? and how can I "reprogram"
> 200 users??

It should be somewhere in the help.

> One of the "charm"  of gnome was the easy of use... The onwers of the
> companies were satisfied with gnome for there is no need to "train"
> users... even the "coffee" atendent can operate it, with only a mouse
> and a desktop and a panel... 

The alt requirement was added as companies gave feedback that people had
been changing the panel on accident and that changing the panel should
be more difficult.
The maintainer could've made such a change during any of the 2.x
releases as well though.

> Hope this can give you a "vision"  of what is going on...

If you give feedback then you'll get answers.

GNOME3 is completely different and fallback is not GNOME2. Can be made
to look like GNOME2 and behave like it, but that is it.

If your intention is to get the fallback mode to operate exactly like
the last GNOME release, then I can already say that it is unlikely to
happen. Developers are focussed on GNOME3 (not fallback nor GNOME2) and
improving that experience. Feedback on GNOME3 is welcome, though it has
to be concrete.

Have you shown GNOME3 to users, and if so, do you have feedback?
-- 
Regards,
Olav