Re: Simplified UI (menu-systems)

["Ian Bicking" <bickiia@earlham.edu>]

>    I've followed your discussion of the simplified UI avidly.  Micah has
> tabled his edulp program for the time being (correct me if I'm wrong,
> Micah) due to the lack of a clear idea of what the best way to proceed
> would be, or even if writing the edulp would be useful at all.  I had
> thought about building similar functionality into the GNOME panel, but
> was also unsure if it was a good idea.

I can't find anything on the Web about edulp.  Can you give a 
reference?
 
>    I'm thinking about asking the LUIGUI (Linux/UNIX Independent Group
> for Usability Information) <http://www.luigui.org> people if they'd
> consider setting up a project to design a simplified UI for school use. 
> I don't know if human factors engineering (or whatever it's properly
> called) has studied anyone other than adults when considering the design
> of computer interfaces.  It's an interesting question.

LUIGUI looks interesting.  The GUI decisions for Gnome that I've 
read are pretty wimpy.  Whenever there's a question the answer is: 
make it configurable.  Ack.  Well, with themes it at least gives the 
possibility of forming a good GUI ontop of Gnome, and LUIGUI 
seems like they want to put effort into defining what a good GUI 
might really be.

There's also the less-rigorous methods.  Are there people out there 
that are watching younger people interact with Linux?  I only watch 
kids using Macs and Windows, and while that's given me ideas 
about some problems with those systems it's not a great basis for 
figuring out how Linux might best work.  


--
Ian Bicking <bickiia@earlham.edu>