Re: LiteStep and Linux themes as paired tools to help folks move to Linux?

Joshua, Wendy, Darrin, thanks for the comments.

On your first point, Joshua, I was going on the estimate by Antoine that
most of the Linux coders still use Windows for some things. If there are
a number of qualified coders who use both platforms, finding programmers
shouldn't be an impossible task.

As to the "why help Linux?" point:

(1) We will "save" LiteStep by getting more people using LiteStep. One
very big way of doing that is through good press (especially popular
blogs, mags and online special interest sites. I am not a proponent of
the "all press is good press" position. Yet it is clear that "little
press is certainly not good press").

One reason more people are not using LiteStep now is that they have
never heard of it.

One of the biggest hot topics of the Century (well, at least so far) is
whether enough people will bail from Microsoft (instead of migrating to
Vista) that it will even be noticed by Microsoft. LiteStep is perfectly
situated to provide one thing on the wish list of (at least) hundreds of
thousands of computer users worldwide: A way to make XP look and act
more like Vista.

If even a fraction of these people read a few computer magazine/software
reviewers/"what's new in computing" blogs, LiteStep will grow. Assuming
that the themes we have constructed for this purpose are of high
quality, some number of users will look around the site, and even come
back to take a closer look, later. Exposure on our terms is almost
always a good thing.

For example, on LS Universe I notice that "Obsidian" has been downloaded
just over 2k times. The next theme, a OSx-look-like theme has been
downloaded over 1k times. The third through tenth themes on the "most
downloaded" list range from about 650 to about 440 downloads.

Demand by the users is an extremely important piece of the "how to make
a theme site grow" goal book. Wouldn't there be a new buzz and new life
generated by, say, even 5k new visitors--just 10% of my conservative
estimate of new viewers? Wouldn't it be a huge shot in the arm for
LiteStep if theme authors all of a sudden saw a ten-fold increase in
their theme views and downloads?

How likely would it be that new LiteStep coders might emerge/make
themselves known/become more energized as a result of seeing this
extreme increase in traffic?

Even if you accept the argument that every person introduced to Linux is
lost to LiteStep (a conclusion I'm not at all ready to accept) a smaller
slice of a much bigger pie is still many more people eating dessert!

(2) Not all of those poking around and looking at the Windows-Linux
paired themes that will be the buzz on all those technology blogs will
decide to go with Linux. Certainly not everyone who uses Linux will give
up Windows entirely. Some of those who come to look around will be
tempted by the great display of some major-league themes and will enjoy
the price tag. Some percentage of those will browse around the fora.

Further, those "early adopters" who do make the switch to Linux will be
"the computer person" for several other users, many of whom will not
move to Linux in the near future, if at all. If they have just been
marveling on how wonderful LiteStep is, and how they wish they had known
about it when they were still a full-time Windows user, it is likely
they will recommend us to their friends and to those who look to these
early adopters for advice.

Wouldn't it be helpful if computer magazine articles started
consistently adding a "If you're not quite ready for Linux" sidebar,
talking about how some of the advantages of Linux could be achieved
through LiteStep?

(3) The idea that a theme can be functional, that is, a given theme's
design might help users perform certain sorts of work more effectively,
could only help us.

The best themes are not "just a pretty face", any more! As more and more
complex applications begin to use more screen "real estate" to make
their application--such as games, accounting software, distance
learning, complex databases, and 3D design, the more people get
accustomed to the notion that there are functional reasons to have
simultaneous access to complementary functions or even programs.

In this case, our use of every square pica of screen space will serve as
a potent argument for using LiteStep to make complex work easier.
Windows' approach to screen real estate is to allow users to minimize or
resize boxes, stack them or tile them on the screen.

We will demonstrate just how powerful the skillful use of screen real
estate can be; perhaps with a multimedia "making it safely through the
transfer" guide, highlighting all of the ways in which LiteStep is able
to accomplish what standalone applications or on-screen tutorials *can
not* handle.

I would expect that throughout this transfer time there will be many
opportunities for LiteStep to demonstrate its power and efficacy with
"see it happening right in front of you" pointers. This opportunity will
enable us to graphically demonstrate just why LiteStep is not "just
another utility to make you go 'ahhhh'."

To the extent we can make the case that challenging projects need
powerful desktops we prove this "reason to learn Litestep." The moment
we are able to effectively make the argument that users can benefit from
LiteStep whenever they are faced with a difficult task, the more that
users who believe they are working on a challenging project.

We could potentially see each post, blurb or email instruction begin:

"You are about to tackle a complex yet worthwhile task.
First step: If you are not using it already, download and start
LiteStep, then open this desktop. . ."

The well written step-by-step instructions (with plenty of helpful
images) will not fail to point out why this use of LiteStep makes sense
for the "Power User."

It feels a bit defensive and somewhat isolationist to suggest that we
should not do anything to benefit Linux, even if our interests would
also be served. LiteStep is so powerful, so useful, so "right" we really
don't need to fear a shortage of potential audience.

Respectfully,

Vagabundus



Wendy Harlow wrote:
> "Its a great dream.
> My issues with it are, why would a Linux user that didn't use windows
> still come back to code this? There are already at at least a handful
> of Gnome themes out and some KDE themes too that could easily be
> re-tasked to do what you are describing.
> 
> "I'm all for helping people move to Linux. What you propose doesn't
> really get LS on Linux though. It moves people from windows were LS is
> to Linux were LS is not( at least without WINE), which is
> exceptionally backwards if you are trying to save LS.
> 
> "If you want to save LS you need to focus on LS."
> 
> ---------------------
> 
> I have to agree here. The purpose of LS is to provide a more powerful,
> intuitive and customizable environment for Windows, not provide Linux with
> new converts. If we can make Windows more attractive to those who use Linux,
> would they come back?
> 
> ~Wendy
> Tonsei-rs
> 
> 
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>     Can't Unsubscribe? Check http://desktopian.org/listunsub.html
>         LS List Homepage: http://wuzzle.org/list/litestep.php
>             Get the LS FAQ: http://lsfaq.shellfront.org
> 
> 


---------------------------------------------------------------------
    Can't Unsubscribe? Check http://desktopian.org/listunsub.html
        LS List Homepage: http://wuzzle.org/list/litestep.php
            Get the LS FAQ: http://lsfaq.shellfront.org