I think the Debian folks have done a wonderful job so far; the auto-detection is a godsend. That being said, I think that the UI could still use some work. The one thing that caught my eye while going through the instalation was that I would have no idea how to use the screens presented. As an example:
On the second step of the installer, it asks you to select a region. On this screen, there appears to be perhaps a menu and then a <Go Back> button at the bottom. When I first saw this screen, the only thing I could think to myself is "How do I select the region? I don't see a radio button, I don't see checkmarks and the only action related button is it go back - How do I get off of this screen?"
It seems that there is a mixture of UI techniques. Either the entire installer should be menu based, in which case the <Go Back> button would be integrated into the menu or they should go with a wizard approach in which each screen has buttons for <Go Back> and <Go Forward> and each select list is turned into perhaps a radio or check-mark based list. I think that the pure-wizard type solution would be preferable as most user's have gone through wizard's before. Along the same lines, when the term "select" is used in a text based installer, it should be clear HOW an item is to be selected? Do I hit enter? Spacebar? Am I supposed to be able to use a mouse? If so, why doesn't mine work etc etc etc.
Well, thus ends my two-cents worth. I hope that anyone reading this doesn't take this as an insult towards the installer team: they are doing wonderful things and they should keep in mind that thing about UIs is that opions on them are like arseholes: everyone has one.
Seeing as how JetBlie hasn't AFAIK had any "terrorist" incidents then isn't this a bad demonstration of the guvmint's new fangled technologies? If Torch Technologies used the customer data given to them from JetBlue to run through CAPPS-II what are they going to find? That they needlessly made 1 million people take their shoes off, wasted atleast 200 rubber gloves doing strip searches and shot some old ganny named Irma on sight?
But in all seriousness - isn't this a bad sample? Wouldn't we want to run the information from say United through the thing to see if it works.
Oh yeah, and to stay on topic, privacy good. Guvmint bad.
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I think the Debian folks have done a wonderful job so far; the auto-detection is a godsend. That being said, I think that the UI could still use some work. The one thing that caught my eye while going through the instalation was that I would have no idea how to use the screens presented. As an example:
On the second step of the installer, it asks you to select a region. On this screen, there appears to be perhaps a menu and then a <Go Back> button at the bottom. When I first saw this screen, the only thing I could think to myself is "How do I select the region? I don't see a radio button, I don't see checkmarks and the only action related button is it go back - How do I get off of this screen?"
It seems that there is a mixture of UI techniques. Either the entire installer should be menu based, in which case the <Go Back> button would be integrated into the menu or they should go with a wizard approach in which each screen has buttons for <Go Back> and <Go Forward> and each select list is turned into perhaps a radio or check-mark based list. I think that the pure-wizard type solution would be preferable as most user's have gone through wizard's before.
Along the same lines, when the term "select" is used in a text based installer, it should be clear HOW an item is to be selected? Do I hit enter? Spacebar? Am I supposed to be able to use a mouse? If so, why doesn't mine work etc etc etc.
Well, thus ends my two-cents worth. I hope that anyone reading this doesn't take this as an insult towards the installer team: they are doing wonderful things and they should keep in mind that thing about UIs is that opions on them are like arseholes: everyone has one.
...or perhaps something similar to the Java ARchiver ???
I've used it - very effective.
Seeing as how JetBlie hasn't AFAIK had any "terrorist" incidents then isn't this a bad demonstration of the guvmint's new fangled technologies? If Torch Technologies used the customer data given to them from JetBlue to run through CAPPS-II what are they going to find? That they needlessly made 1 million people take their shoes off, wasted atleast 200 rubber gloves doing strip searches and shot some old ganny named Irma on sight?
But in all seriousness - isn't this a bad sample? Wouldn't we want to run the information from say United through the thing to see if it works.
Oh yeah, and to stay on topic, privacy good. Guvmint bad.