[openbeos] Re: Data or App Centric?

I think they way BeOS works now is in fact better in the long run.
Forcing a slight learning curve will keep absolute idiots from
clogging up the forums for all eternity with dumb questions ("Hay, I
can't get on the net. Fix it for me!!", etc), but will leave the
system usuable for nearly everyone else

In Windows, you need an entire technical library to understand how the
system works. In BeOS, a new user can do virtually anything after
reading the BeOS Bible, and a developer after reading Be's two books
or the digital form of them, the BeBook.

Over simplifying, ala Windows or MacOS, creates a situation where to
do anything advanced - which is pretty common, actually - requires
advanced technology knowledge, dealing with arania like the registry
or the /Library folders. BeOS hasn't got this problem. It aims towards
an advanced user but is in a situation where a non-advanced user can
learn everything they need to know from one book.

Cian
On Sun, 20 Feb 2005 07:13:08 -0800 (PST), lists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
<lists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Hi list,
> 
> Going to make some bold claims here, based on how I see the world.
> 
> In Windows, it's fairly easy for a computer newbie to start looking at
> pictures, listen to music, record CDs or whatever task you want to do.
> Generally, the trend is to have a application-centric view of the world,
> which makes it (arguably) easy to get at the task at hand.
> 
> In BeOS, you have to learn a bit about the system in order to use all
> functions. For example, you have to learn what attributes are in order to
> find an e-mail you've received, using Tracker's Find tool -> E-mail ->
> From/Subject/...  Hence, a data-centric view where it can sometimes be a
> bit of a hassle to know which operations you can apply to certain data,
> and where those operations are to be found.
> 
> Now, after one has learned how it's done in BeOS, I believe it is a faster
> way of working, which doesn't get in the way.  This is sadly mostly for
> "professional" users that perhaps need to manipulate their data in a more
> advanced way (think Terminal and pipes) than what a single application can
> provide.
> 
> This leads to two situations, based on the user:
> The advanced user will get hit the roof in Windows because of the inherent
> limitations of the system (think: hacks like EasyMove or
> ticWorkspaceGadget), whereas in BeOS, they're relatively easy to do
> because of the bundled developer environment and the structure of the
> operating system (file system and such).
> 
> For the casual user, however, there'll be a certain threshold that might
> (or might not, but most probably will) put the user off from using BeOS,
> and instead choose Windows where everything is served (i.e., kitchen sink
> included) -- might not be a very good way of working for us who know how
> things -can- be done, but it is a way, and it's mostly obvious what to do
> (e.g., the activity pane on the left-hand side in folders in Windows).
> 
> Now, I'm -not- saying we should duplicate Windows.  But we really need to
> lower the threshold in BeOS, if we want to be successful!
> 
> Comments?
> 
> -- Mikael
> 
> PS. I've put up this piece on my blog as well:
> http://mikael.jansson.be/post/2005/02/20/the-application-vs-the-data DS.
> 
> 


-- 
---------------------------
"We're busy running out of time"
Bernard Sumner, 1993

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