Based on the Gnome Usability Study, and prompted by a /.ers reference to
'argonomics'.
(It'll make a lot more sense if you
read the study first). In short, a bunch of people who'd never used linux before were sat in
front of a gnome session with a list of tasks to do, and researchers hovering
nearby. The song steps through the task list and some of the users'
complaints.
When I sat at the terminal and booted up the drive
I thought that everything would look like Windows 95
I had a bunch of tasks that I was given to complete
But I must confess this 'linux' thing has really got me beat
And I can't use linux, not a bit
Can't use linux, for it's really a piece of junk
The jargon is confusing, and the UI is a pain
And I don't want to deal with it again
The login screen looked simple - wait, just what does 'login' mean?
I'm typing in my name, but nothing shows up on the screen!
They said I'd lost my focus - well, I think it rather rude
To blame it on the user when the interface is screwed
And I...
The icons were quite pretty, they were outlined in 3d
But I hadn't any idea what the glyphs were meant to be
I clicked a few at random - now I wonder who would put
A menu and a terminal on buttons with a foot
And I...
They said we had to find a file - "now that I think I know
I'll open up the menu and select - hey, where'd it go?!"
I knew just what I wanted, but they'd placed me in a bind
For 'find' would find the file, but what would help me find the 'find'?
And I...
This 'Nautilus' looks nifty, it's not just another shell
It's listed out my files, and lets me browse the web as well
I even found the 'find', but when I tried to go ahead
The only thing it showed me was a pencil barred in red
And I...
I opened up a webpage and a file, and I was lost
The browser and the OS must have got their signals crossed
The navigation buttons on the file - what do they mean?
And why can't I edit something that is open on my screen?
And I...
To customize the desktop was an oddly painful chore
I had to add a timepiece to the panel, nothing more
I tried to find the clock, but I was surely not to blame
For ending up in a twisty maze of menus, all the same
And I...
The control panel proved to be a nightmare, through and through
I stared at all the options, but I didn't have a clue
The font took half an hour to change; I asked if it looked nice
They shook their heads and told me that I had to do it thrice
And I...
I worked my way through every task I saw upon the list
When I got up to go it turned out there was one I'd missed
I knew this thing was hard, but even so I never dreamed
That 'leave the machine' could be so much harder than it seemed
And I can't use linux, not a bit
Can't use linux, for it's really a piece of junk
The jargon is confusing, and the UI is a pain
And I don't want to deal with it again
(Wonder why.)