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

[Listera]

> The whole idea is to make code a piece of the puzzle, but not the puzzle
> itself. 

Yep. That's going to be awfully hard to explain and even harder to implement
when programmers had such a long and unfettered command of the app creation
process. For many, code-upmanship is the sole source of attraction.

Unfortunately, we haven't even mentioned the ultimate arbiters in this case:
users. So far users of OSS projects have been pretty willing customers, even
to the point of taking pride in being able to handle the lack of sound
design principles as a badge of geek honor.

Non-geek users won't tolerate that. However, the OSS community hasn't really
faced that crowd in earnest yet. In other words, those who create OSS apps
(programmers) haven't been (technically and socially) graded on how well
they do with non-geek users. I guess the 12-step process will start when
they themselves decide to seek help.:-)

Ziya
Nullius in Verba