[Sigia-l] Open Source Usability -- curable?

[chris]

I think the problem of usability in open source is more of a cultural
barrier than an engineering or functional barrier. 

 If open source development is driven by egoboo, then usability has to
achieve some level of egoboo to be an integral part of OS development and
the most likely way for that to happen is for OS projects to have some kind
of mandate that places them in competition with ... something. 

Eric Raymond is a well known open source proponent who also seems to
recognize the need for better usability in OS projects:

(in reference to the lack of usability in an OS application)
" ... it's what's keeping Microsoft in business - because by Goddess, they
may write crappy insecure overpriced shoddy software, but on this one issue
their half-assed semi-competent best is an order of magnitude better than we
usually manage"...

http://www.catb.org/~esr/writings/cups-horror.html

-chris
http://www.semioticpixels.com