Listen to your users

[vasa1]

The way to be #1:
http://idyeah.com/blog/2011/10/you-cant-please-everyone/

[mr john]

If Cannonical listened to their users Unity would have never become the default GUI. There were some polls done and the community was split. They went ahead with Unity and quite alot of people moved to other distros, but many stayed. I guess it just depends how controversial the subject matter is.

Personally I moved to Fedora but got fed up with the slowness of their package system and because it kept breaking on the computer I was using at the time. I eventually came back when I saw some improvements to Unity in 12.04. My girlfriend still hates Ubuntu though and complains every time I leave the computer in Ubuntu. She likes MS Office alot more than Libre Office.

[Buntu Bunny]

She likes MS Office alot more than Libre Office.

Aw, it's just a matter of what we get used to. Anytime I have to use MS Office at the library, I'm confused. An entire DE on the other hand, is another matter.


The way to be #1:
http://idyeah.com/blog/2011/10/you-cant-please-everyone/

This seems to be a problem across the board. Producers, manufacturers, etc are so worried about missing something, or about the competition having something they don't, that they all end up producing the exact same thing. In the end, the consumer has no choice and is forced to pick amongst copycat name brands rather than the product, style, function, that truly meets their needs.

[3rdalbum]

By and large, people don't really know what they want.

Especially with Linux - anyone else remember all the complaints that Gnome "is stuck in the 1990s"? When Gnome updates its image and workings... well, the reception was icy.

It's like in The Simpsons where the producers of Itchy and Scratchy asked a bunch of kids what they'd like to see in the cartoon:

Okay, how many of you kids would like Itchy & Scratchy to deal with real-life problems, like the ones you face every day? (the kids all cheer and agree)

And who would like to see them do just the opposite - getting into far-out situations involving robots and magic powers? (more cheering)

So, you want a realistic, down-to-earth show... that's completely off-the-wall and swarming with magic robots? (The kids agree)

[Buntu Bunny]

By and large, people don't really know what they want.

There's a lot of truth in that statement. Unfortunately, people too often make their choices based on what "everybody else is doing it" or what's "trending." (I hate that term). And why are we so obsessed with the latest whatever?

I think though, that people can tell whether or not their needs are being met. With something that has a steep learning curve, there has to be at least the perception that the curve is worth it.

[mamamia88]

Aw, it's just a matter of what we get used to. Anytime I have to use MS Office at the library, I'm confused. An entire DE on the other hand, is another matter.



This seems to be a problem across the board. Producers, manufacturers, etc are so worried about missing something, or about the competition having something they don't, that they all end up producing the exact same thing. In the end, the consumer has no choice and is forced to pick amongst copycat name brands rather than the product, style, function, that truly meets their needs.

not always true. i grew up with the old ms office and yet in college had to use office 2007 constantly and it's actually much easier to get stuff done using the ribbon. that being said i graduated and no longer need to do anything complex so libreoffice is fine.

[litiform]

Canonical seems to be making a lot of decision based on research. This is good approach in general I think.