[mythtv-users] FW: Help understand the interface of Myth Media & Video Gallery

[Anthony Rooney]

-----Original Message-----
From: mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org
[mailto:mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org] On Behalf Of Nick Rout
Sent: Wednesday, 2 February 2011 5:41 AM
To: Discussion about MythTV
Subject: Re: [mythtv-users] FW: Help understand the interface of Myth Media
& Video Gallery

On Wed, Feb 2, 2011 at 2:15 AM, Anthony Rooney <rooneyo at iinet.net.au> wrote:
> Hi Nick


STOP top posting please

>
> I am very surprised to hear that checking a location entered as a 
> directory path string could not be compared to a file system namespace 
> that could also be represented as a test string or x500 tree 
> structure.  I have always assumed that checking for a valid folder was 
> a simple task and quite different from testing whether access can be 
> achieved once that folder is found to exist.  I assume the pseudo 
> logic to be: - 1st check whether the path entered exists within the 
> name space

you need to have access to see if the path exists. If you don't have
permissions, you can't tell if the path exists. Is not a mythtv problem.

> and if so can it be accessed by
> the account used by MythTv.  They are 2 separate operations.
>
> I take it on face value that this is more problematic in Linux than 
> any environment I have work in before and I am pleased that there is a 
> possibility that the error message can be altered to point others 
> encountering the same issue to look at permissions as a possible solution.
>
> Please also note that there is a difference in a comment complaining 
> about a common function as simple as pointing to another valid 
> directory location causing considerable troubleshooting effort and a 
> subsequent post to a support forum and a personal complaint about the 
> effort of those who voluntarily contribute to helping other with 
> support problems.  The effort of those helping to provide solutions is 
> most appreciated and has never been questioned so it is unfair for 
> anyone to misrepresent frustration with software to a personal attack on
anyone associated with the project.
> Having worked in software support for more than 9 years and 3 of them 
> in a most uncompromising Call Centre environment, we expected 
> frustration from end users experiencing problems with software and 
> most of the issues arose from poor design and inaccurate 
> documentation.  We never took such feedback personally as it could 
> always be captured and feedback to improving the next version and was
perfectly understandable.
>
> I have seen many people set upon on this list for expressing very 
> valid complaint and just because MythTv is free in monetary terms (not 
> time) is no excuse for such sensitivity.
>
> You might not like this feedback but it is given in good faith from 
> someone who has been on the front line in telephone support with most 
> demanding and uncompromising end users.
>

If you think some of your comments were positive that's your outlook, but
not all of us would think "What an enormous oversight!  Who proof reads the
doco?  Is it tested on COLD users?  If not why not?  It is a basic
requirement of good design  to be able to be used intuitively - BY COLD
USERS.  Are they concerned with good design?" was entirely polite.



So easy to shoot the messenger cause you don’t like the message.

Have your ever heard of the concept "The customer is always right" and do
you know why such a principle evolved?  Obviously not.
It does not matter that no one paid any (money) for any open source software
and to use the lame excuse of "you got it for free so what do you expect" is
a piss weak excuse to not have a zero defect mindset to design.  You should
be patient with people trying to learn who will understandably be
exasperated by design oversights.  Such feedback is gold to the idea of
continuous improvement which you have no interest in.

However I now know your involvement is all about personal ego and nothing to
do with making open source a viable alternative for the main stream user.
To you it should never succeed in the main stream.  To achieve design
excellence you have to be kicked by end users into making better
applications as logical as the pain that an elite athlete must endure while
training for a major challenge to ever achieve excellence.  How else will
you ever find out the value of the design without testing it on those who
are not geniuses like you?

Documentation should be proof read and things should be tested on cold users
and all of this is "BEST PRACTICE".

Your ignorance of such concepts explains a lot about the issues encountered
by so many with MythTV.  The developers think it is great and if ordinary
user cannot USE it well they are just stupid nobs. OK keep your illusion.

I will learn and understand this product despite assholes like you because I
believe in the idea of Open Source Software and can work my way through all
the design deficiencies and be well placed to help others.  I believe Open
Source  can leverage on some of the methodologies that were successful for
inferior commercial software without compromising the core advantages of the
Linux architecture.  I already have Myth working quite well despite all the
issues of poor UI and terrible documentation however I make no apologies
from being frustrated for no other reason than I can envisage what it could
be without dickheads who want to keep it unusable except for a few elites.
The whole idea of feedback is to seek to stimulate improvement.

Open source can learn a lot from things that Microsoft and Apple did
successfully without compromising what is good about Unix unless they allow
themselves to be dominated those intent on keeping it limited to exclusive
fundamentalists.

One day there might be a version of Unix that can be fully administered via
a well designed GUI without the need to use a character based TERMINAL .

How about that for a design goal?

Regards


Anthony
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