Re: What Do You Think Might Be Threats To The Open Source Movement?
by Joyce Paisley -
Number of replies: 2
As a real beginner who is just starting to explore the topic--What are the "basics" that you think must be known before attempting to use open source applications??
In reply to Joyce Paisley
Re: What Do You Think Might Be Threats To The Open Source Movement?
by Heather Ross -
I think that it depends on the application. I'm using Firefox and I don't need to know anything about coding to do this. I downloaded and installed NeoOffice (Open Office for Mac) and installation was at least as easy as installing MS Office. Installing Moodle would obviously be more difficult.
It also depends on what you plan to do with the application. Are you going to be strictly a user or do you want to work on the development of the application?
It also depends on what you plan to do with the application. Are you going to be strictly a user or do you want to work on the development of the application?
In reply to Joyce Paisley
Re: What Do You Think Might Be Threats To The Open Source Movement?
by Bruno Vernier -
I notice that there are at least 4 kinds of "Real Beginners"
1. beginner opensource USER
2. beginner opensource PROGRAMMER (with no experience programming)
3. beginner opensource PROGRAMMER (already proprietary programmer)
4. beginner opensource ACTIVIST
About beginner USERS:
Technically, there is nothing different to know about opensource software compared with proprietary software: Whatever can be said of the first, applies just as much to the second (technically speaking)
In my experience, Users rarely really care (unless they like politics or economics) if the software they use is opensource or not, concentrating most of their energy on wishing it were more "user-friendly" and allowed them to get the job they need done quickly and painlessly.
I have not yet found a magical solution to remove the feeling of helplessness beginner USERS feel (other than old fashioned "hand-holding", avoiding changing the interface which they are accustomed to, and basic principles of good user interface design), nor the feeling of being taken for granted that voluntary opensource programmers often feel when exposed to such beginning users in support forums
So I propose that the basics for such beginner USERS be to not take for granted the work of opensource programmers (at least within their earshot, and in forums) , and to find a mentor who will walk them through their first steps
About Beginner opensource PROGRAMMER (with no experience programming):
These are the people who having heard the hype now want to taste the goodness of opensource for themselves. I notice that few of them actually learn programming by participating in forums but this group is immensenly valuable because they perform the following work:
A. they test the software thoroughly under real conditions and publish lots of bug reports (almost half of any programming project whether open source or proprietary is spent fixing bugs which therefore must be found.)
B. they report user experience anecdotes and formulate valuable feature requests, helping mold the evolving software in a good direction
C. they are cheerleaders for the programming team, providing them with energy and motivation to carry on (thanks to the complex synergy at play)
D. they write documentation, tutorials, put on online workshops and demonstration sites and "evangelize" the project (Public Relations)
1. beginner opensource USER
2. beginner opensource PROGRAMMER (with no experience programming)
3. beginner opensource PROGRAMMER (already proprietary programmer)
4. beginner opensource ACTIVIST
About beginner USERS:
Technically, there is nothing different to know about opensource software compared with proprietary software: Whatever can be said of the first, applies just as much to the second (technically speaking)
In my experience, Users rarely really care (unless they like politics or economics) if the software they use is opensource or not, concentrating most of their energy on wishing it were more "user-friendly" and allowed them to get the job they need done quickly and painlessly.
I have not yet found a magical solution to remove the feeling of helplessness beginner USERS feel (other than old fashioned "hand-holding", avoiding changing the interface which they are accustomed to, and basic principles of good user interface design), nor the feeling of being taken for granted that voluntary opensource programmers often feel when exposed to such beginning users in support forums
So I propose that the basics for such beginner USERS be to not take for granted the work of opensource programmers (at least within their earshot, and in forums) , and to find a mentor who will walk them through their first steps
About Beginner opensource PROGRAMMER (with no experience programming):
These are the people who having heard the hype now want to taste the goodness of opensource for themselves. I notice that few of them actually learn programming by participating in forums but this group is immensenly valuable because they perform the following work:
A. they test the software thoroughly under real conditions and publish lots of bug reports (almost half of any programming project whether open source or proprietary is spent fixing bugs which therefore must be found.)
B. they report user experience anecdotes and formulate valuable feature requests, helping mold the evolving software in a good direction
C. they are cheerleaders for the programming team, providing them with energy and motivation to carry on (thanks to the complex synergy at play)
D. they write documentation, tutorials, put on online workshops and demonstration sites and "evangelize" the project (Public Relations)