The Great Ubuntu-Girlfriend Experiment (Content Consumer)

There is lots of Ubuntu buzz right now due to the release of Hardy, but the Content Consumer weblog has an article with wider applicability as well. If the year of the Linux desktop is ever going to happen, usability by non-technical folks is a requirement. One way to measure the usability is to sit your girlfriend in front of a Linux desktop and see what problems she encounters trying to do some normal desktop tasks. "Erin’s knowledge of computers is limited to word processors, spreadsheets, Photoshop and a reasonable amount of browsing on the Web. Fairly standard stuff for a university philosophy student. All I did to the system (before leaving Erin at the log-in screen) was to install it and create a user account for her. She had no problems logging in, and loved the stylised heron background. Then I gave her one by one the tasks I’d set her. I didn’t give her any help at all." (seen at Slashdot)

Update: As can be seen in the comments, this item offended some of our readers. I offer my deepest apologies to anyone who was offended by it. That was certainly not the intent.

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