Re: looking for Jugg--is this the right place?

Thank you, Darrin.

Jugg suggested, and Tobbe seconded, that I visit here to perhaps help 
with some writing: documentation, promotional materials, etc. I am not 
at all familiar with this list and so want to be careful about causing 
any unintended insult (which I guess presumes that there might be some 
sort of intended insult?).

The invitation came as response to a couple of posts in which I 
suggested we, the litestep community, present Litestep as a solution to 
specific issues of specific groups of potential users. That is, I would 
think it rare for an individual to come looking for something that does 
lots of things; people are much more likely to want something that will 
solve a particular problem or fill a specific and very present need.

Tobbe asked whether I was talking about branding, and expressed some 
concern about distributing a product whose range of features were 
somehow crippled or restricted.

Instead, I am envisioning a process wherein Litestep is presented as 
*the best solution* for a number of potential user groups. The complete 
package would be delivered in each case, but the *emphasis* in our 
initial presentation would be tailored to the needs of particular groups.

So for example, we might present a theme that was developed with the 
needs of a social networker in mind. This would include the full 
unhindered version of Litestep but with buttons, drop-down lists and 
even backgrounds created with the sensibility of social networkers in 
mind. The examples we use in all of the surrounding materials: 
Promotional notes ("actually there *is* a shell that does all of this 
stuff for you and is easy to customize for your own situation"); 
tutorial (here's how to set up buttons so that you can click on one end 
to access ________, and the other end to go to _________. and default 
functions ("You can even divide your screen to monitor several different 
sites at once! See the example right here."

We might also present a group of LiteStep themes designed to work for 
ebay enthusiasts, or Sci-fi fans, or graphic novel writers, or any 
number of different sorts of gamers. (consider the number of people who 
plunked down more than half-a-thousand-dollars to buy a machine that 
will play a number of games, most of which have not yet been released! I 
would be absolutely surprised if this group could not quickly come up 
with some great ideas for widgets, buttons and scripts that made Doom or 
WoW or ________ even sweeter.

These are only a couple of possibilities off the top of my head, but 
because probably the greatest strength of LiteStep is its 
versatility/adaptability, it makes all the sense in the world to present 
it to potential users *already adapted* around their own driving interest.

I guess another way of putting it is this:

Versatility can mean at least two very different things to a computer 
user. (1) You can use this to do A and to do B and even to do C. . . or 
(2) Whatever your interest, whatever draws you back to your computer 
late at night when you really should be asleep, whatever you use your 
computer to do, this tool will make it easier/better/faster to do that 
thing.

Most of the stuff I've seen written about LiteStep are based on the 
first. This makes sense because to the people who are most committed to 
developing LiteStep, developing LiteStep IS the thing that draws them.

One of the very cool things about LiteStep is that it gives the 
developer/user more control over their desktop more easily and quickly 
than other desktop customization programs. It makes sense, therefore, 
for these people to emphasize the aspects of LiteStep that are most 
important to them--especially the control over the desktop and the 
ability to quickly create features that will allow the user to do some 
tasks that would otherwise not be possible.

But this isn't what most users will drawn to. Or perhaps more 
accurately, the biggest potential groups of LiteStep users are not 
developers, but users: People who want to accomplish some specific 
task/group of tasks on their computers.

So if we want to see LiteStep grow exponentially we need to keep 
refining the Litestep-tool that allows developers to accomplish a wide 
range of tasks, but we need to talk to the potential users about what is 
already important to them: What brings them back to the computer every 
potential moment.

Does this make sense? Does it fit with your broad history of working 
with LiteStep, especially with potential users?

Is this worth pursuing? In what ways?

Vagabundus

Roy Gathercoal



Darrin C Roenfanz wrote:
> Roy Gathercoal wrote:
>> Hello.
>>
>> I may very well be in the wrong place: It wouldn't be the first time 
>> even this week.
>>
>> I am here as a result of the urging of Jugg.
>>
>> Please forgive me if I am not, in fact, where I think I am.
>>
>> Roy Gathercoal
>>
>>
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> Normally yes. Jugg is on holiday however, if I remember right. He'll be 
> back in a few weeks ( Said he'd be gone a month, it's been 2 weeks so far)
> 
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