Re: [libreoffice-users] CNET is claiming the best free MSO alternative is not LO

On Sat, 08 Jun 2013 10:16:42 -0400, Tom Davies <tomdavies04@yahoo.co.uk>  
wrote:

> Hi :)
> That point keeps coming up but it best said the other way around
> 80% of MSO almost never gets used.
>
> Then split the remaining 20% up between different sorts of users.  Most  
> people only use the Save button, Bold, Centre, Underline, copy&paste  
> errr that's about it.  Oh, receive email and reply.  More advanced users  
> insert pictures or graphics or go the other way into using spreadsheets  
> and/or maybe know how to start a fresh new email.   So even of that 20%  
> there is a lot of stuff that people don't use or even know about.  It's  
> just that within that 20% some people use some and others use different  
> bits.  That still leaves 80% almost untouched by anyone.
> The way this is generally talked about is that everyone uses different  
> things and so if you take enough people you find that there is an even  
> spread of all parts being used by a roughly equal percentage of people.   
> However that is NOT what we are seeing.  Think about it this way  
> instead, how many people do you know of that don't know how to make  
> something bold?  Almost everyone knows that, right?  They might manage  
> to fluff it badly but at least they can manage that much.  Now, how many  
> can switch from left to right or fully justified?  Not so many.  Quite a  
> lot of people don't even know what you are talking about or think it  
> looks too strange or 'different' (or cool).  How many people know how to  
> mail-merge?  Not as many as know how to use bold!!
>
> Regards from
> Tom :)
IMHO the percentage of features used by 95% of users on LO or MSO is  
probably about 50 to 60% of those available - no research just navel  
gazing. I was talking to a colleague on another list about this point. MS  
has had a history of adding "features" to MSO that most users either would  
never use it or have no idea the feature is there (and probably would  
never use it). Part of the problem, particularly for commercial software,  
is the true core features of an office suite have been implemented years  
ago and only need refining. Tom's example of mail merge has been around  
for at least 20 years - I used it with WordPerfect in the mid 90's and it  
was not a new feature then. So to entice buyers/users MS and others must  
add "features" that sound nice but very few people will ever use.

A related problem is that most users are users. They want to get something  
do but do not want to spend a lot of time learning the software beyond a  
minimum to do their jobs. So if you asked them to do a mail-merge with LO,  
AOO, MSO, etc. you would get a blank stare. They do not know it can be do  
and are amazed you can do it.
> > ________________________________
> > From: Virgil Arrington <cuyfalls@hotmail.com>
> > To: Doug <dmcgarrett@optonline.net>; users@global.libreoffice.org
> > Sent: Saturday, 8 June 2013, 13:44
> > Subject: Re: [libreoffice-users] CNET is claiming the best free MSO  
> > alternative is not LO
> >
> >
> > Jay provided a great response to this thread, but it appears as if he  
> > fell
> > into the trap of hitting "reply" instead of "reply all," so only I got  
> > the
> > benefit of his response. I'm copying it below.
> >
> > Jay wrote:
> >
> > My understanding of the original XEROX research is that is for desktop  
> > GUI
> > there is a narrow range of options and criteria to implement a good
> > interface. What I always understood is that because the why humans
> > interact with the surroundings and basic physiology of arms, shoulders,
> > hands, etc. the WIMP based GUIs with menus, icons, windows, and a mouse
> > are the most practical interfaces. The XEROX conclusions, IMHO, are  
> > still
> > valid today. So the GUI (app or OS) should be very similar. Learning any
> > "XEROX" style GUI is fairly easy for most users because it feels right.
> >
> > MS seemed to ignore the XEROX research with the Ribbon and the criticism
> > of W8 indicates they ignored the research again. I read MS was concerned
> > with the complexity of the menus in MSO and the fact that most users  
> > only
> > used a fraction of the available commands. Two logic flaws: complex
> > software will cause complex menus and most users probably only need to  
> > use
> > a fraction of commands. However different users will use a different
> > combination of commands.
> > --
> > Jay Lozier
> > jslozier@gmail.com
> >
> >
> > As I think about software evolution, there was little consistency back  
> > in
> > the DOS days. For example, Wordstar had its Ctrl-key combinations that  
> > were
> > hard to learn but, once learned, made touch typists *very* proficient.
> > WordPerfect preferred the Function key commands.
> >
> > When Windows came out, it was not immediately embraced. DOS was fast,  
> > lean
> > and light. I recall working very efficiently on a computer with a 10 mg.
> > hard drive with plenty of room to spare.
> >
> > One of the Windows selling points was that all of the programs could  
> > have a
> > consistent UI. All programs followed the same basic menu structure  
> > (File,
> > Edit, Format, Tools, etc.). While each program had its own quirks (page
> > layout under "File"?), the general consistency of menus made programs
> > relatively easy to figure out.
> >
> > Users knew that everything could be found *somewhere* in the menu. Yes,  
> > more
> > complex commands may be deeply buried, but that was the nature of the  
> > beast.
> > More often-used commands could be attached to icons streamlining the
> > process. But, the icon toolbars, while quick and easy, were never  
> > intended
> > to *replace* the menu structure, just supplement it. Toolbars are, by  
> > their
> > nature, very much subject to user preferences. When installing LO, I
> > immediately customize the toolbars to eliminate icons I never use.  
> > That's
> > okay, because I know *everything* is in the menu structure.
> >
> > It appears that, with the ribbon, MS has tried to combine the menus and
> > icons into one structure. But, for me at least, MS has abandoned the  
> > very
> > logical and consistent menu structure that gave Windows its advantage  
> > over
> > the inconsistent UIs of DOS.
> >
> > (And, Doug, I have tried to load PC-Write onto my computer, but it  
> > won't run
> > on a 64-bit computer. *sigh*)
> >
> > Virgil
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Doug
> > Sent: Friday, June 07, 2013 8:39 PM
> > To: users@global.libreoffice.org
> > Subject: Re: [libreoffice-users] CNET is claiming the best free MSO
> > alternative is not LO
> >
> > On 06/07/2013 08:10 PM, Virgil Arrington wrote:
> > > This has been fascinating reading all of the opinions about user
> > > interfaces and the dreaded ribbon.
> > /snip/
> > > I've been playing recently with WriteMonkey, a markdown text editor,  
> > > and
> > > I must confess, I like the UI with absolutely no toolbars or ribbons;
> > > just keystroke combinations and some basic menus. Works for me.
> > >
> > > Virgil
> > Sounds like you should find a copy of WordStar!
> >
> > --doug
> >
> > --
> > Blessed are the peacemakers..for they shall be shot at from both sides.
> > --A.M.Greeley
> >
> > --
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--
Jay Lozier
jslozier@gmail.com

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