Date: Wed, 23 Sep 1998 01:18:11 +1000 From: Sue Blake <sue@welearn.com.au> To: Chris Dillon <cdillon@wolves.k12.mo.us> Cc: chat@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Network Computers Message-ID: <19980923011811.37850@welearn.com.au> In-Reply-To: <Pine.BSF.4.02A.9809212350440.2416-100000@duey.hs.wolves.k12.mo.us>; from Chris Dillon on Tue, Sep 22, 1998 at 12:24:08AM -0500 References: <19980922140459.61177@welearn.com.au> <Pine.BSF.4.02A.9809212350440.2416-100000@duey.hs.wolves.k12.mo.us>
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On Tue, Sep 22, 1998 at 12:24:08AM -0500, Chris Dillon wrote:
> On Tue, 22 Sep 1998, Sue Blake wrote:
>
> > They wouldn't give two hoots what OS is under it, or even what word
> > processor it is, so long as it's the same look and feel. That's all
> > they know, the whole sum total of what computers are to them. They have
> > never been granted access to anything else, much less control.
>
> We switched from Office 95 to Office 97 about a year or so ago. That
> was actually quite a change in user interface (I hate Office 97... I
> managed to stand using Office 95. It did less behind your back or
> without your permission). I had to munge around and find menu items
> that moved from one menu to an entirely different one, or even
> disappeared entirely and moved to a dialog box that popped up when you
> accessed something else. If our users managed to swallow that change,
> learning StarOffice or Applixware should be a breeze. :-)
Interesting. How did they react to the change? What did they say about
it? What did they find most difficult to get used to? What did they
like? This is all stuff you can draw on to win them over.
> StarOffice actually looks very much like Office 95 (the wp and
> spreadsheet parts of it), or at least I think so, so that wouldn't be a
> problem for most people to use. I've never seen ApplixWare, but I
> imagine it wouldn't be too hard to grasp either.
Some time ago I was forced to do some fairly advanced word processing
to a Word document under sin95. Eventually I stole the document and
tried to finish it off with Applixware. It looked similar enough, but
there were real problems when I tried to use keys instead of the mouse
for speed. They just didn't work right. For example there's ways to
select a couple of lines and move them up or down the page, apply
styles, flip in and out of outline view, do battle with tables and
numbered lists, and so on. To do all that stuff with the mouse would be
way to slow. Unless the editing keys are identical it'll be far from an
easy change, no matter how it looks on screen. I suspect Star Office
would differ too. If all its key commands are the same, you've got
exactly what it is that they've decided they want. Who cares what OS is
under it.
> Fortunately, training is just what we're in the business of. :-)
Uh-oh. So the scairdy-staff are examples of your mob's training? :-)
> > They would love it if they judged it by our criteria. They certainly
> > won't, and they certainly won't.
>
> I'm not wanting them to judge it by our criteria. I want to see if I
> can create something that the average user wouldn't have much trouble
> learning how to use. It should be easy to whip up stuff that looks
> identical up to a certain point (use fvwm95, maybe an explorer lookalike
> file browser, etc.).
Give them enough free time to play, with a playful attitude, and they'll
get used to it. In most businesses that time isn't available and the
playful attitude is too guilt-ridden. I've had a hell of a job getting
staff to play solitaire during work time to improve their mouse skills,
even though they liked the game a lot and had been ordered to play it.
Maybe you could find a familiar (no-learning) game that would get them
in. Don't bother with solitaire or anything that could look like a
cheap imitation of what they've seen. I dunno what game though.
Also, there might be some handy work toys that aren't available on the
other system. I don't know what they're missing out on now, but you
could think of a few things they'd appreciate. Cut and paste will be a
winner once it's explained. If they're teachers, consider setting up
xmbase-grok for student info and grades (I've used it for that and it
worked well). Select a field delimiter that makes the files compatible
with their old system. Find some toys they'll be miserable without :-)
--
Regards,
-*Sue*-
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