Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

[Michael Czeiszperger <michael AT czeiszperger.org>]

On Apr 7, 2004, at 11:00 AM, Bill Geschwind wrote:

> The commoners who these days use (and abuse) Windows don't
> know the first thing about programming, and once you put them in front
> of a Linux box with what to them looks like a bewildering GUI they will
> complain and whine about it without end, but they won't have the
> patience or inclination to work through the rather steep learning curve
> to learn how to program and modify the UI to their own liking.

At least from my experience with RedHat 9 and Mandrake the latest GUIs  
aren't any more difficult than Windows, its just that people are used  
to Windows. There's dozens of wacky things about the Windows GUI people  
just take for granted, like, if you want to stop the computer you have  
to click on Start, for example.  I imagine the learning curve on how to  
modify Windows "to their own" liking would also be steep.  The only  
actual scientific research on the subject shows that if you just stick  
a Windows user in front of a Linux GUI they're almost as proficient as  
on Windows in a short period of time without any training.

________________________________________________________________________ 
_________
If you put up a large switch in a cave somewhere, with a sign on it  
saying "End-
of-the-World Switch. PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH", the paint wouldn't even have  
time
to dry. -- Pratchett
        -- michael at czeiszperger dot org, Chapel Hill, NC