Rob Weir wrote:
On Fri, Nov 23, 2012 at 11:26 AM, Keith N. McKenna
<keith.mcke...@comcast.net> wrote:
Rob Weir wrote:
On Fri, Nov 23, 2012 at 8:20 AM, Keith N. McKenna
<keith.mcke...@comcast.net> wrote:
Jürgen Schmidt wrote:
On 11/21/12 5:33 PM, Keith N. McKenna wrote:
Rob Weir wrote:
On Wed, Nov 21, 2012 at 11:04 AM, Keith N. McKenna
<keith.mcke...@comcast.net> wrote:
Regina Henschel wrote:
Hi Jürgen,
Jürgen Schmidt schrieb:
Hi,
first of all I would like to volunteer again as release manager for
our
next release if it's ok for our community.
+1
+1 on that from me also
Second I would like to define with you what our next release will
be.
After various discussion and activities on the mailing list and
also at
the ApacheCon, I got the impression that the majority would support
a
4.0 version as our next release.
I'm not in favor of an version 4.0 as next release. The changes have
listed below would justify a version "4.0". But I doubt, that they
are
possible in a time frame, I see for the next release.
I am with Regina on this one. I do not see a Jan or Feb time frame as
feasible for the design and implementation of a new and still a
comfortable
bit of padding to deal with the inevitable gremlins that will sneak
out of
the woodwork to assure the kind of quality release that is expected
of
OpenOffice and that we expect of ourselves.
Uh, Juergen never suggested January or Feburary as a time frame for
4.0. So I don't see how one can dismiss a 4.0 proposal as being
unfeasible based on dates that he never suggested. Maybe we should
ask Juergen what timeframe he had in mind for 4.0? Of course, it
might be possible to do both, provided we have volunteers willing to
own testing and release management for 3.5.
-Rob
As I re-read the post you are correct Rob and I apologize to Juergen
for
reading to much between the lines. What timeframe were you considering
for a 4.0 release Juergan?
Well I had indeed not February in mind but when we targeting on end of
March or April we will have more time.
Maybe we can take first a look on what others have in mind to put in the
next release.
Juergen
This sounds like a good idea. My concern is that we have enough time to
adequately the changes, especially the potential UI changes, and that we
address the end of life issues with the 3.x.x line. We do not want to
spring
possibly major UI changes on end users without adequate warning.
Is there something users need to do to prepare for UI changes ? ;-)
Rob, have you ever been involved in direct user support? When you make major
UI changes your support structure is going to be inundated with questions
under the best of situations. When you spring them on users unawares you
unleash the tirade of "change for the sake of change" potentially getting
bad publicity for the product.
Actually, I was involved in direct user support for office smart
suite. For several years I did direct phone support for users of
Lotus SmartSuite, 40 calls per day. So I have actually done this, as
a professional, thousands of times. And I was very good at it.
Rob;
That is why I asked the question was to get an answer. Since you have
been involved in it you understand the issue and that is good.
Also note that this was during the transition from DOS to Windows, so
I know quite a bit about how users handle UI changes. Any changes
we're proposing for AOO 4.0 are miniscule compared to the DOS to
Windows transition.
While it is true that an amount of this is inevitable, a good marketing and
communication campaign can go a long way towards minimizing it. We cannot
loose sight of the act that we are an end user project and not just for the
techie types.
Yes, marketing needs to accompany any user-visible changes, not just
UI changes. But the need for marketing should be expressed as helping
support our current call for marketing volunteers:
https://blogs.apache.org/OOo/entry/call_for_marketing_volunteers. It
should not (IMHO) be expressed by denigrating the proposed UI changes.
Regards,
-Rob
However I would like you to point me to anything in my post that could
be considered denigrating a new UI. My concern was and still is that we
have enough time to thoroughly test whatever changes are decided to be
made and allow the marketing, ux and other ancillary parts to do there
share also. I will support your call for volunteers in any way that I am
able. I am nt a blogger so that is not an option for me. How ever I do
and will continue to suggest to those I know who have needed skills that
they seriously consider volunteering or the project.
Regards
Keith
IMHO, if the changes are a bad idea we should never do them. But if
the changes are a good idea then let's get them done, tested and
released without delay. Yes, it will be a surprise for many end
users. As far as I can tell most users still don't know we've moved
to Apache either.
Whether we have moved to Apache or not is of little concern to the general
user. Changing the look and feel of the product he or she is familiar and
comfortable with is.
Do not get me wrong, I am not against change. I am simply adding a voice of
caution that we not inadvertently shoot ourselves in the foot (figuratively
to be sure). The UX work that Kevin and others are going and the push by you
and others for greater marketing presence are all good things and need to be
given sufficient time to have a good impact.
If in the considered judgement of the community the March/April timeframe is
sufficient that is great and we should do it. All I am doing is raising some
considerations that may not always be thought of.
Regards
Keth
-Rob
Regards
Keith
