[PD] PD usability

[mark]

Unix users don't mind 'apt-get install pd'. Windows users 
in general will get put out by anything other than setup.exe.

Installing externals requires command lines or editing batch files
- again unacceptable to a lot of users. 

I am not saying that PD is not useable to its current users - what it 
is not is a PRODUCT. which is what would be needed to broaden its 
user base...

cheers 

mark 

-----Original Message-----
From: pd-list-admin at iem.kug.ac.at [mailto:pd-list-admin at iem.kug.ac.at]
On Behalf Of delire
Sent: 13 February 2003 21:51
To: pd-list at iem.kug.ac.at
Subject: Re: [PD] PD usability


errm, i believe the last time i installed pd was with the gruellingly
challenging command: 

'apt-get install pd'

for the similarly terrifying, strategically impossible debian
distribution ;)

again, a progress bar does not make installation 'easier' only more
comforting. this is the question here. anyway, i tend to distrust
operating systems that allow me to install software with a double click.

yesterday a friend couldn't stop telling me "just how easy" using the
planetCCRMA system was [30 free applications fresh from the web, one
command]. the time it took him to install these applications is about
the same amount of time [i hear] it takes to install Logic.

i understand however installing software under windows or macOSX is
often more difficult.

julian

On Wed, 12 Feb 2003 22:59:41 -0000
"mark" <mark at junklight.com> wrote:

//If it where me that wanted to make PD more "producty" (technical 
//term that :-) - and its not -  I already have enough joy with this 
//at work with users/support/testing/load testing/a development //team/a
dept. head/etc. - Then I would try to establish a small group //of
volunteers to do the work. I am sure the rest of the community 
//would support such an effort if it didn't mean much work on their 
//part. 
//
//The key areas I see as being vital are;
//
//installer - not always an easy job 'cos of the platform thing (and the

//quality of the tools). As a guide I have had a team member put in 
//about 6 man months over the last two years on our installer. 
//
//Config - midi/audio selection would have to be a preferences //dialog
for the more casual user. I guess this would have implications //on how
PD starts up too. 
//
//GUI - you can argue its fine until you are blue in the face - people 
//are used to and expect pretty interfaces - if you want
//minimalist/functional //then it needs to be *designer* minimalist
functional (think Peter //Saville/factory //records). Its just the way
it goes. // //Docs - there needs to be a reference manual. Again you can
argue 
//about it all you like - not having one means that the beginner has to 
//do a lot more work to get into the product. 
//
//Support - who is going to provide support to people. What happens when
//the mailing list is full of people going - "it does't work on my
//pc..why?" or //"I NEED feature X..why can't you make it do that" //
//Don't get me wrong - PD is just great as it is as far as I am
concerned
//- what 
//I am talking about is making it accessible to a wider audience. It 
//will grow larger as time goes by and by having a high level of
knowledge //needed for entry we make life easier for ourselves. //
//Again - not trying to pour water on ideas but if you want to make PD 
//accessible to a wider audience you need to consider what is involved
// //cheers 
//
//mark 
//
//
//
//> -----Original Message-----
//> From: pd-list-admin at iem.kug.ac.at 
//> [mailto:pd-list-admin at iem.kug.ac.at] On Behalf Of Marc Lavallée //>
Sent: 12 February 2003 22:37 //> To: 'pd-list' //> Subject: RE: [PD] PD
usability //> 
//> 
//> Le mer 12/02/2003 à 16:59, mark a écrit :
//> 
//> > Sorry to be blunt about this but I did say I had my day job hat
on. 
//> > :-)
//> 
//> I actually resigned from a well paid job in a university 
//> center because I was unable to bring artists to use free 
//> software and be more responsible. I had to manage a bunch of 
//> projects, buy computers and softwares, and program "art". It 
//> was a stupid and impossible mandate, because artists 
//> (especially students) must do their own stuff, not always 
//> rely on programmers to hold the mouse for them. Of course, 
//> most artists were asking for Macs/Max/MSP/Jitter, leaving 
//> little money for anything else, including humain brain juice. //> 
//> So for me, a "better" PD would have been cool. I won't accept 
//> such a job unless artists agrees to change their tools and 
//> their attitude toward technology. But we need to help them a 
//> little bit, or I might never work with them again.
//> 
//> --
//> Marc
//> 
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