Agenda, Not Hidden

A nameless reader writes: "There is a very favorable and detailed review of the Agenda VR3 at O'Reilly's oreillynet.com site. Unlike many previous reviews, this reviewer is a developer himself, and appreciates the benefits that a full Linux/X windows on a PDA can offer to a knowledgeable user. He also has obviously done his homework, and provides a lot of useful supplementary information." The "Consumer IR" port is one feature I predict will soon mysteriously end up in a lot of other similarly-sized devices as well. Funny, weren't we just reading the obituary of Linux on the desktop?

Comments

Think ahead

[PD]

The agenda might be dead in a year, but eventually, we're going to really want these tiny computers to run Linux and all our desktop software, including the compiler.

I don't know about you, but my life would be greatly improved if I could pack up a tiny palm-like device, a head mounted display, and a little keyboard, go off to the beach, and get a day's work done there. I could do that now with a laptop and a stack of batteries, but there's this small problem of posture. Even a laptop requires a chair and a desk of some kind, and it's hard to get an even tan unless you're laying down.

Linux advocacy: VR3 framework for the Desktop?

[joq]

" At all times, applications can be launched by selecting one of the soft buttons at the bottom of the display. On the far left is the Agenda logo which brings up a menu of applications. The other buttons launch applications directly, and by default bring up Contacts, To Do, Schedule, Notes, the Calculator."

Why couldn't Linux developers either in Redhat or some other distro make things this simple for people who're interested in Linux for the home desktop segments? Some of the difficulties surrounding "point-and-click", "GUIville" when it comes to Linux and the average non geek user make using Linux intimidating which is one of the reasons the competition with MS as a home solution is a losing one.

No one wants to tar -zxvf foo.tar.gz ; cd $foo ; ./configure ; make ; make install its too cumbersome and difficult for cluebies as opposed to something like MS' self installing executables. So while looking at the other article today which states the demise of Linux as a desktop, I stop and wonder what the hell are the developers thinking? Create a "HOME ONLY" based version of Linux without all the fancy source distributions for average joe users and market, market, market it for crying out loud.

Instead of focusing on promoting the "coolest new trick" on the Linux OS' be advised Mr. Developers, that most geek know what Linux is capable of, and while most time and money is spent marketing these new things, some of you need to go back to the core of it all and promote ease of use if you want people to start using Linux. If this VR3 is as easy to use as the article claims, than someone at one of these distributions (Redhat, whomever is left) needs to take a pad, pen, and sit down with these guys and get it right, once and for all.

Re:Linux advocacy: VR3 framework for the Desktop?

[Arethan]

I couldn't agree with you more.
The biggest problem with linux is not the lack of software, it's the complexity to operate it. Gramma isn't going to run linux because she doesn't even know what this "Windows" thing is. She just knows that if she pushes the button on the box, then in 2 minutes she can check her email and turn it back off.

Create a user friendly distro of Linux, and applications will follow. The key is to make enough apps to make managing the computer easy.

Microsoft has a huge lead of most opensource developers, and I don't mean manpower wise. I mean layout wise. Go download 5-10 open source applications and look at the interface. Try to learn them all to about 80% efficiency within an hour or two. Now if you were to go out and buy 5-10 name brand applications for Windows and try to learn then to equal efficiency, you'd find it much MUCH easier. Why? Because Microsoft, IBM, and all of the others employ people that do nothing but design user interfaces! They design it, and then have a group of users test it. They collect feedback, and then they try it again with a new group. After a few iterations, they have a really easy interface for their application. They've cut the learning curve in half. All because they put more effort into making it look pretty rather than making it do something.

Anyways, enough rambling. The point is, Linux is too complex for the average user. The average user wants to be able to put the disc in, and have the OS ask them if they want to run/install the application. It's sad, but that is exactly what Linux will have to do in order to go mainstream.

Oh please

[Sc00ter]

"Based on their projections of unit sales of 500,000 and 750,000 units for this and next year, the savings in licensing expenses could be in the millions of dollars."

PocketPC (aka WindowsCE) JUST hit 1 million units (http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1006-200-6004696.html ?tag=mn_hd and they expect this obscure device that's just black and white with no email app to sell that many units in a year!? Not in this lifetime...

--

Alan Cooper

[Fencepost]

Anyone doing much user interface work (particularly for consumer-oriented devices) should read Alan Cooper's About Face and The Inmates Are Running the Asylum.

One of the main things he recommends is developing a "persona" that you're developing for. Never say "Well, the user will understand this," you have to be able to say "Alice the 45 year old real estate agent whose only experience with computers is a browser-based home listing service using nothing but drop-down lists will understand this." By focusing your development on just a few personas that cover (or are close enough to) your target audience you'll find it much easier to target your development.

-- fencepost