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

On 8/16/07, Roy Gathercoal <rgathercoal@...> wrote:
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>
> Thanks.
>
> Sounds like I was way off base.
>
> Instead of developing one theme that would somehow work in both systems,
> would it be possible/probable and feasible to develop "paired" themes;
> one theme developed on LiteStep for Windows, but a second "theme" that
> would be a *functional equivalent* to the LiteStep theme, but running in
> Linux?

Yes, that is quite possible. There are LS themes that mimic KDE or Gnome.
And using AfterStep, FVWM, XFCE or similar, it is quite possible to create a
theme that would be the exact copy of a LS theme.

I'm thinking about how we might be able to do something about making it
> easier (or probably more accurately, less frightening) for a Windows XP
> user to actually make the switch to Linux.
>
> It does seem like a good way to escort Windows users into Linux: If they
> saw a familiar environment when they booted up Linux, much of the fear
> would go away. Chances are they wouldn't have to make big changes in the
> brand of their software (many software businesses put out both Windows
> and OSX or Linux versions).
>
> I'm envisioning some sort of transition theme, with a Windows theme and
> a Linux theme that paired, tied together by their look and feel. So much
> of the initial learning curve (and potential trauma associated with it)
> might be eased.
>
> The idea is that a user who *wanted* to move to Linux but is concerned
> about drowning (i.e., not being able to get actual work/stuff done)
> could use the Windows half of the theme-pair for awhile--to get
> accustomed to approaching computing in a bit of a different way but with
> all the apps, mail and browser, etc. all still comfortably windows based.

Yes, this is quite feasible. I doubt it would be very popular though.
We could probably make an installer that would install LS plus
a minimal cygwin and would really mimic a unix system.
This could be distributed with tutorials and stuff.

When our nascent Linux user feels confident in using the LiteStep half
> of the theme-pair then it would be time for the big switch.
>
> Ideally they would have already set up the Linux theme, preferably on a
> second machine, but perhaps in a dual boot. Point is, when they first
> fire up Linux, the graphical user interface would look very similar to
> what they had been using on the Windows side. Same output to printer,
> web, mail, etc., and same GUI input; the machines doing the actual
> computing are addressing the task in different ways.
>
> This would certainly tie some of the Linux wings down for awhile, and it
> might also mean my work on the Windows side is a bit more tedious. It
> might be that the necessary compromises are made by the Linux side, the
> Windows side or perhaps most likely, by "splitting the difference."
>
> Yet if soon after I boot up the Linux machine the same menus located in
> the same places doing pretty much the same things (OpenOffice, etc.)
> after a bit I might realize that I have been using Linux, thus I am a
> Linux user and it might be time to start some exploring to find out what
> Linux has to offer!

I think the Linux experience is not defined by the organization of the
menus. The menus change much from a distro to another and from a window
manager to
another. We could make a LS bundle that would mimic some particular
Linux distro and offer that as a promotional/educational tool.
It is quite easy to try a Linux distro nowadays with VMs and LiveCDs
but presenting a functional preview of the interface would be
something.
A preconfigured Gnome on cygwin
would do a better job at this but would weigh many megs and be long to
install compared to LS which can be small and quick to install.

After I am relatively calm and confident about my new computer, I would
> delete the Linux side of the pair (not having used the Windows machine
> with its half of the pairing for awhile) and finish the transition from
> XP to Linux.
>
> Is this a worthy/doable project? (hope it's not my third strike, unless
> it's bowling and not baseball)

Doable : yes
Worthy : I don't know, maybe

Thank you for your responses, and for your patience.

No problem

Vagabundus

Is that some king of fish<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vagabond_butterflyfish>
 ?

Roy Gathercoal
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