Five Fundamental Problems with Open Source?

meriksen asks: "I found a very interesting paper which I am sure will stir up a hornets nest. Despite the growing success of the Open Source movement, most of the general public continues to feel that Open Source software is inaccessible to them. This paper discusses five fundamental problems with the current Open Source software development trend, explores why these issues are holding the movement back, and offers solutions that might help overcome these problems." What do you think of the issues given in this paper, and how do you think the Open Source community should address these issues? "The lack of focus on user interface design causes users to prefer proprietary software's more intuitive interface. Open Source software tends to lack the complete and accessible documentation that retains users. Developers focus on features in their software, rather than ensuring that they have a solid core. Open Source programmers also tend to program with themselves as an intended audience, rather than the general public. Lastly, there is a widely known stubbornness by Open Source programmers in refusing to learn from what lessons proprietary software has to offer. If Open Source software wishes to become widely used and embraced by the general public, all five of these issues will have to be overcome."

Comments

Re:WHAT???

[maximilln]

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Linux in 1998 and over the past six years the UI has improved ... (KDE, Gnome, ect.) is still not as clean as Windows
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Look, if you want to watch TV, then GO WATCH TV. If you want to use a computer, then USE A COMPUTER.

What do you do with your computer? You read e-mail, you surf the web, maybe you print, maybe you type documents, maybe you use a spreadsheet, maybe you do your taxes or check your stocks (through an http interface). You play games which come with their own user interface. You don't need Windows, KDE, or Gnome for any of this crap.

Quit spilling this "mature OS" crap. Maybe user's should be more mature about what they actually use a box for. Enough with the hand holding and the virtual blowjob. If they want a WP, it's there, regardless of the WM. If they want a spreadsheet, it's there, regardless of the WM. If they want a database, it's there, regardless of the WM.

Are you getting my point? Catching my drift? Or am I being too obtuse?