OpenSource and Interfaces: Again...
The discussion does not stop. This time its a girl who writes why OpenSource (Free Software in general) is not adopted by the masses and reading through the discussion on Slashdot it is again all about the interfaces. Indeed the people seem more calm this time and there are even some interface designer on Slashdot (who would have thought). But why is it not working out? Slashdot faithfull plover has THE reason:
I think she missed the biggest reason of all here: Designing a good GUI is very hard. Wait -- let me further clarify that: it's very, very hard.
Yes and because of that there has to be an open interface inititative. There is nothing that says that what works for programmers (distributed programming) won´t work for interface designer (distributed interface design). The interesting part is, that for the beginning it would help to draft an digitial interface design manual for open source out of which you generate you own interface easily. As said before the status quo is erasable, completely! So what apple has done with its develpper tools, is provide an easy framework to make your own Interfaces and they all look (or should) look equal. So I do say that Apple has gone wrong with brushed metal and all this a similar thing for ALL open source could be a great boon. Not only would the resulting programs be easier to comprehend but also give OpenSource a corporate identity (for that you have to remember that the interface is THE thing people look at so the number ONE branding algorithm in software industry). Imagine a world where the "open source look and feel" is something that can be compared to Apple.
So again I would put proclaim that the time has come for an Open Source Interface Initiative.