|
See what happens when you bring the Internet to Grandma?
Now, you have to explain to her how to use it.
At some point a good piece of software may cross over from being a geek level tool to an appliance level piece of software.
Computers themselves and the Internet have crossed over to that "easy to use" appliance level for the most part but are still extremely powerful under the hood.
Calibre is pretty easy to use but still has some roots in a "geeks only" tool. The ease of use combined with the power is why I chose it over say "Book Collector" from Collectorz.com.
Calibre works as a catalog but also as a powerful file converter and installer to your ereader. You can find software that does all these functions but not in one application.
I believe this adds to the confusion.
My opinion:
You have two groups: Grandmas and Geeks
You have three functions: Cataloging, Conversion, and File Installer
The key will be to keep both groups happy without sacrificing performance in any of the three functions.
Good luck on that, but it seems to me this app is almost ready for prime time. That level where Grandma can use it without many phone calls asking how to do X.
You will know you have reached the "Microwave Level" of appliance (where no one reads the manual anyway) when you stop getting all the basic newbie questions like how to set the clock to stop it from flashing 12:00.
When all the basic functions are intuitive the Grandma's will be happy and stop bugging or at least maybe their questions will be answered at the first level of the forum.
Keep the easy to use controls up front and leave the harder stuff on the "Advanced" menu with a "There be dragons here----->" sign to scare off the newbies.
Anyway, Happy Tuesday
Archon
|