Re: list o' importants

[EAMorical@aol.com]

 I would like to make a couple of suggestions regarding
 the user categories.

 First I would break students out from the
 General Home user category into two categories K12
 and college. I think the way each of these groups uses a
 computer is sufficiently different to justify the split. Also I
 think you should collect data on K12 because I believe it
 is a big potential user of Linux. K12 schools are presently
 busy upgrading school computer courses and hardware.
 I thought I saw a SEUL project on schools. 

 Second I would reconsider SOHO. It's nice lumping things
 together but there is a problem with this one. There are too
 many meanings.
 Home Office to me means a place (room) where someone
 works from home or takes work home to do.
 Home business to me means running a business out of the
 home. Esther runs a transcription business out of the house.
 Small Office is part of the category Small Business where the
 business does mainly office work as opposed to a small
 business that does some other type of work. I think this is a
 bad choice. I would tend to break it into the following four
 categories: (Home Office, Home Business, Small Business1
 and Small Business2).
 Home Office the person works for somebody else. Just happens
 to work at home.
 Home Business the person is actually running business. People
 count up to 3 or 4.
 Small Business1 is larger than a home business and generally
 run out of a commericial building of some sort. People count
 up to 10. The computers are generally managed by the owner.
 Small Business2 is larger than Small Business1, but not large
 enough to employ a systems administrator. The computers are
 likely to be managed by an outside firm on an as needed basis.
 Could have Small Business3. Still a small business but has an
 on site systems administrator. Maybe I've said too much.

 Bob

In a message dated 98-07-09 12:01:39 EDT, you write:

<< Subj:	 Re: list o' importants
 Date:	98-07-09 12:01:39 EDT
 From:	kmself@ix.netcom.com (Karsten M. Self)
 Sender:	owner-seul-research@seul.org
 Reply-to:	seul-research@seul.org
 To:	seul-research@seul.org
 
 I think you're thinking too hard.  I see the following categories,
 basically an extension of the Core/Layers concept, with divisions for
 Personal, Workstation, Server, and Portable categories of use.  I get
 seven categories, two or three of which may not be of particular
 interest.
 
 Categories and inclusives:
 
  - General Home user
    Gamer, Internet browser/email, wordprocessing, schoolwork, personal
 accounting,
    other light tasks.  Possible (but unlikely?) local network.
 
  - SOHO -- Small/Home Office
    Business applications (wordprocessing, spreadsheet, presentations,
 database), 
    fax, email, web, small local network likely, possibly specialty
 software.  
    I'd include graphic artists,  musicians, and other artistic types
 here.  
    Ease of admin or availability of technical service support important.
 
  - Development/Technical Workstation
    Heavy duty technical use, programming, hacking, applications
 development, etc.
    Local network likely.  Very technical user.  Specialized software. 
 Not sure 
    this fits the SEUL target model, though as a technical WS, it might.
 
  - Business User -- Mid/Large office
    Like SOHO, but more so.  Significant networking -- file, print,
 application
    serving.  Probable use (but not admin of) servers, firewalls, etc. 
 Personal
    business applications (wp/spreadsheet/presentation/database). 
 Enterprise
    applications.  Ease of use, GUI are issues.
    Probably the user we care least about because they don't make
    purchasing decisions.
 
  - Business User Systems Admin -- Mid/Large office
    Use categories as above, but this is aimed at the folks who
 administer the 
    stuff.  More emphasis on capability:cost ratio, ease of admin. 
 Again, not 
    sure that SEUL points this way, though many of the questions we've
 been 
    coming up with fit this category best.
 
  - Server Class
    Applications, file, network, Internet, mail servers.  Also possibly
 embedded
    or dedicated systems.  Aimed at admins or technical types.  Not sure
 this
    fits SEUL target audience.
 
  - Portable
    This is essentially a hardware repackaging of SOHO/Business user.
    Think laptop, Itsy, handheld.  Keys:  applications, power saving
 features, 
    speed, compatibility, networking, communications, and data transfer.
    Ease of use, ease of admin, GUI, as for SOHO/Business user.
    
 Karsten M. Self (kmself@ix.netcom.com)

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