RE: SEUL: request for comments on independence document (fwd)

["Charlotte" <whyzz@unforgettable.com>]

I think your article is clear on four points:
1. You came to Debian Linux early on with experience in coding, possibly
true for most early Linux users. (It's been around THAT long?)
2. You like command line, and you expect usable, productive software.
3. You believe that software should be easy to use.
4. Geek-only is not the path for open-source, especially in attitude.

I found the article easy to read, well written with attention to mechanics
(what a concept!) and reasonable.  I approach this subject as a teacher of
English and tech writing in a tech school.  My experience goes back to
Commodore 64 (mostly for word processing), Apple //e, and then Windows.  I
skipped DOS altogether except for a few classes in Applesoft BASIC, which
leaves me "Command line-challenged and GUI-impaired".  Yet I manage to teach
a few sections of Visual Basic, so I know a bit of programming on the level
farthest away from the hardware.  I used Apple when I taught high school,
and Windows where I teach at college.  I am learning Linux (Redhat 6.0, KDE
and Gnome) because someone will need to be able to teach the non-geeks, just
like I teach non-geeks to use Windows now.  As hard as it is for a true geek
to believe, there are people out there who don't know what a great tool a
computer is-and they can learn.  That is one thing that is changing the
world.

However, until a programmer buddy of mine took the time to explain to me HOW
one uses the terminal to do things, I found Linux unusable except for
playing a few games.  The folks at several newbie sites have great
information, once one learns how to use it.  And I am in LOVE with the
GIMP-having nearly worn out my right mouse button.  The user defines
"user-friendliness"-and anything that one knows how to do is easy.

Let us not promote the "high priesthood" of the Linux world.  Gurus are one
thing, but I am against the hoarding of knowledge in any form, especially on
the grounds that people find different things "intuitive".   After all, I am
a woman, and women definitely have a different kind of intuition from men.

"Open source" means to me that anyone can learn, and having learned, can
adapt.  Learning is what humans do best.



Charlotte
Chaos, panic and disorder!  My work here is done!
ICQ 2313309
http://charlottebabb.tripod.com/Charlotte1.html

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-seul-pub@seul.org [mailto:owner-seul-pub@seul.org]On Behalf Of
Roger R Dingledine
Sent: Sunday, January 02, 2000 3:29 PM
To: seul-pub@seul.org
Subject: SEUL: request for comments on independence document (fwd)

Date: Sun, 02 Jan 2000 21:31:55 +0100
From: Stefan Rieken <StefanRieken@SoftHome.net>
To: seul-pub@seul.org
Subject: "request for comments": my draft

Hello,

I have written a piece of text as a reaction to my experiences with the
Linux community on usability. It is available at:

http://independence.seul.org/~stefan/resistance.html

I really need some subjective views on it. Do you agree with the
contents? Do you think that I have gone too far? Am I being objective
enough? Is your experience different?, etc. etc. Rate it even if you
wish.

I want to learn from this "RFC" if my writing/ opinion is any good. So
be honest with your reactions: if it isn't, I can just as easily get
another hobby ;-)

Thanks,

Stefan (new on this list...)