OOo design contest targetted to users and designers in the Mac community

Hello,

I has a discussion with Bernhard Dippold and Florent
Effenberger  
about a contest that I want to organize in order to promote 

OpenOffice.org to the Mac community.

I would like to have your opinion about the current draft.

The title of the contest might be :
"Design the best interface mockup ever for Aqua version
of  
OpenOffice.org"

What would be expected to be provided by participants :
Screens of their wanted UI for the main windows and
interface  
elements of OpenOffice (i.e. for the main window will be a
drawing of  
the entire window, how it looks like, what there is in it,
how the  
user interact with, etc.)

I am aware that more details should be added here.

This contest is firstly marketing, and then a source of idea
that  
should be profitable for OpenOffice.org on all platforms,
not only  
Aqua, even if the contest is mainly targetted to Aqua
peoples.

The criterias for selection might be :
    - Aqua Integration
    - Innovation
    - Productivity
    - Appeal
    - Work licensed under LGPL

The process might be :
   - Mockup submission for two weeks (mainly general and
functional  
ideas)
   - Jury deliberating for selection of the 3, 5 of 10 best
mockups
   - User vote

The objectives are the following :
   - Communicate on the Aqua OpenOffice.org port differently
than  
using the traditionnal developement/update announces
   - Communicate about our willing to have the best
interface for our  
Office suite.

There is no any warranty for the winner. And I believe that
the whole  
set of ideas of the winner won't be integrated, but mostly
part of it  
(and probably not only the ideas of the winner). However,
this should  
be discussed with the UI team.

What would be possible: An Aqua theme for the UI (and
behaviours) -  
as an alternative to the "official" one. In fact,
I just intend to  
collect ideas. I am not in a position to impose anything to
any  
development team.

In order that project reach its goal, I need some help :
    - Any idea is welcome !
    - A list of person to notify for contest promotion
    - I need some prizes or some money for prizes
    - Volunteers for jury members

Thanks for your interest,
Yvan BARTHELEMY

Yvan Barthélemy wrote:
> I has a discussion with Bernhard Dippold and Florent
Effenberger about 
> a contest that I want to organize in order to promote
OpenOffice.org 
> to the Mac community.
>
> I would like to have your opinion about the current
draft.
>
> The title of the contest might be :
> "Design the best interface mockup ever for Aqua
version of 
> OpenOffice.org"

Gee, I really don't understand what they're asking. If
they're asking 
what would best impress a newbie to "Switch" or
try out Mac OOo, I think 
a straightforward approach always beats glitz and B.S.:

1. Match or surpass looks/function features of the standard
bearer, MS 
Office/Word.

2. Match or surpass looks/function of iWorks/AppleWorks.

No need to reinvent the wheel. I think obliging those two
prerequisites 
would draw interest very well. Now, if you're talking about
doing some 
new whiz-bang distinctive GUI thing for Mac OOo, I might
suggest taking 
a time tunnel look at Kaleidoscope in OS-9. Imagine
tailor-making -- 
personalizing --  the Mac OOo interface like that, where you
can even 
shift menus and tabs around and create custom icons for them
as well. 
Mac ego aside, I DON'T think Mac OOo should be restrained by
PC OOo's 
'requirements' in form or function. Like who's restraining
who here? 
It's like PC OOo having its cake and eating it too at the
expense of 
degradging the Mac's inherent capabilities in Mac OOo to
me.

Just my humble opinion. Still beta bugging pre-Alpha.
James Greenidge



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2007/7/30, James Greenidge <jimwgmac.com>:
>
> Yvan Barthélemy wrote:
> > The title of the contest might be :
> > "Design the best interface mockup ever for
Aqua version of
> > OpenOffice.org"
>
> Gee, I really don't understand what they're asking. If
they're asking
> what would best impress a newbie to "Switch"
or try out Mac OOo, I think
> a straightforward approach always beats glitz and
B.S.:
>
> 1. Match or surpass looks/function features of the
standard bearer, MS
> Office/Word.
>
> 2. Match or surpass looks/function of
iWorks/AppleWorks.


These goals are really ambitious... Great idea IMHO ! But
how to know that
the goal are reached ? (I assume 'they' is 'I' currently).
But it is not
only a matter of look and function, it is rather a matter of
being able to
access existing function in an efficient way. It is good to
have a somebody
joining, it is better to keep him interested in the long
term.

No need to reinvent the wheel. I think obliging those two
prerequisites
> would draw interest very well. Now, if you're talking
about doing some
> new whiz-bang distinctive GUI thing for Mac OOo.


I am definitely not, since it won't improve usability and
integration
nothing more.

I might suggest taking a time tunnel look at Kaleidoscope in
OS-9. Imagine
> tailor-making --
> personalizing --  the Mac OOo interface like that,
where you can even
> shift menus and tabs around and create custom icons for
them as well.
> Mac ego aside, I DON'T think Mac OOo should be
restrained by PC OOo's
> 'requirements' in form or function.


I agree !

Like who's restraining who here?
> It's like PC OOo having its cake and eating it too at
the expense of
> degradging the Mac's inherent capabilities in Mac OOo
to me.
>
> Just my humble opinion. Still beta bugging pre-Alpha.


Very interesting to me, though !

James Greenidge



Regards,
Yvan

ON 30/07/2007, AT 10:23 AM, JAMES GREENIDGE WROTE:

> YVAN BARTHéLEMY WROTE:
>> I HAS A DISCUSSION WITH BERNHARD DIPPOLD AND
FLORENT EFFENBERGER  
>> ABOUT A CONTEST THAT I WANT TO ORGANIZE IN ORDER TO
PROMOTE  
>> OPENOFFICE.ORG TO THE MAC COMMUNITY.
>>
>> I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE YOUR OPINION ABOUT THE CURRENT
DRAFT.
>>
>> THE TITLE OF THE CONTEST MIGHT BE :
>> "DESIGN THE BEST INTERFACE MOCKUP EVER FOR
AQUA VERSION OF  
>> OPENOFFICE.ORG"
>
> GEE, I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE ASKING. IF
THEY'RE  
> ASKING WHAT WOULD BEST IMPRESS A NEWBIE TO
"SWITCH" OR TRY OUT MAC  
> OOO, I THINK A STRAIGHTFORWARD APPROACH ALWAYS BEATS
GLITZ AND B.S.:
>
> 1. MATCH OR SURPASS LOOKS/FUNCTION FEATURES OF THE
STANDARD BEARER,  
> MS OFFICE/WORD.

WE REALLY NEED TO GET AWAY FROM COPYING ANY OF THE MICROSOFT
LOOK.  
IT'S TOO RESTRICTIVE, AND NOT OF HIGH QUALITY.
>
> 2. MATCH OR SURPASS LOOKS/FUNCTION OF
IWORKS/APPLEWORKS.

PAGES AND KEYNOTE (IWORK). APPLEWORKS ISN'T CURRENT ANYMORE,
ALTHOUGH  
IT STILL HAS ITS DEVOTéES.
>
> NO NEED TO REINVENT THE WHEEL. I THINK OBLIGING THOSE
TWO  
> PREREQUISITES WOULD DRAW INTEREST VERY WELL. NOW, IF
YOU'RE TALKING  
> ABOUT DOING SOME NEW WHIZ-BANG DISTINCTIVE GUI THING
FOR MAC OOO, I  
> MIGHT SUGGEST TAKING A TIME TUNNEL LOOK AT KALEIDOSCOPE
IN OS-9.  
> IMAGINE TAILOR-MAKING -- PERSONALIZING --  THE MAC OOO
INTERFACE  
> LIKE THAT, WHERE YOU CAN EVEN SHIFT MENUS AND TABS
AROUND AND  
> CREATE CUSTOM ICONS FOR THEM AS WELL. MAC EGO ASIDE, I
DON'T THINK  
> MAC OOO SHOULD BE RESTRAINED BY PC OOO'S 'REQUIREMENTS'
IN FORM OR  
> FUNCTION. LIKE WHO'S RESTRAINING WHO HERE? IT'S LIKE PC
OOO HAVING  
> ITS CAKE AND EATING IT TOO AT THE EXPENSE OF DEGRADGING
THE MAC'S  
> INHERENT CAPABILITIES IN MAC OOO TO ME.

I AGREE ABOUT AIMING FOR SOMETHING LIKE KALEIDOSCOPE.
CONFIGURABILITY  
AND NON-CLUTTER WILL WIN US USERS. A SINGLE, INTEGRATED
INTERFACE IS  
ALSO MORE EFFECTIVE. (PATHFINDER ALSO HAS SOME GOOD FEATURES
IN THAT  
REGARD.)

I'VE LEARNED TO APPRECIATE GOOD GUI DESIGN SINCE I'VE HAD TO
DEAL  
WITH BRAIN DAMAGE. SHARP CORNERS, CLUTTER AND SHEER BAD
DESIGN  
ACTUALLY COST THE USER BRAIN CYCLES. OK, HEALTHY PEOPLE HAVE
THEM TO  
SPARE, BUT THEY WOULD PROBABLY PREFER TO USE THEM ON
SOMETHING ELSE. ;)
>
> JUST MY HUMBLE OPINION. STILL BETA BUGGING PRE-ALPHA.

MY HUMBLE APPRECIATION OF YOUR HUMBLE OPINION. ;)

FROM CLYTIE (VI-VN, VIETNAMESE FREE-SOFTWARE TRANSLATION
TEAM / NHóM  
VI{‡T HóA PHz§N M{�M T{± DO)
HTTP://GROUPS-BETA.GOOGLE.COM/GROUP/VI-VN

Hi,

Yvan Barthélemy a écrit :
> Hello,
> 
> I has a discussion with Bernhard Dippold and Florent
Effenberger about a 
> contest that I want to organize in order to promote
OpenOffice.org to 
> the Mac community.
> 
> I would like to have your opinion about the current
draft.
> 
> The title of the contest might be :
> "Design the best interface mockup ever for Aqua
version of OpenOffice.org"
> 
> What would be expected to be provided by participants
:
> Screens of their wanted UI for the main windows and
interface elements 
> of OpenOffice (i.e. for the main window will be a
drawing of the entire 
> window, how it looks like, what there is in it, how the
user interact 
> with, etc.)

This contest is a good idea and it can help us to improve
the look of
OOo but also, and that's what is important, its user
experience.
Moreover the ideas proposed will surely be profitable not
only for
MacOSX but also for the other platforms. Therefore this
contest is a
great chance to improve OOo, and help OOo to be more known.

> I am aware that more details should be added here.
> 
> This contest is firstly marketing, and then a source of
idea that should 
> be profitable for OpenOffice.org on all platforms, not
only Aqua, even 
> if the contest is mainly targetted to Aqua peoples.
> 
> The criterias for selection might be :
>    - Aqua Integration
>    - Innovation
>    - Productivity
>    - Appeal
>    - Work licensed under LGPL
> 
> The process might be :
>   - Mockup submission for two weeks (mainly general and
functional ideas)
>   - Jury deliberating for selection of the 3, 5 of 10
best mockups
>   - User vote
> 
> The objectives are the following :
>   - Communicate on the Aqua OpenOffice.org port
differently than using 
> the traditionnal developement/update announces
>   - Communicate about our willing to have the best
interface for our 
> Office suite.
I'll add another objective: -Improve OOo user Experience


> 
> There is no any warranty for the winner. And I believe
that the whole 
> set of ideas of the winner won't be integrated, but
mostly part of it 
> (and probably not only the ideas of the winner). 

Indeed, the best ideas proposed in this contest (not only
the ones of 
the winner) may be added, if it's possible.

> However, this should be discussed with the UI team.

And the UX team too, i think.

> 
> What would be possible: An Aqua theme for the UI (and
behaviours) - as 
> an alternative to the "official" one. In
fact, I just intend to collect 
> ideas. I am not in a position to impose anything to any
development team.
> 
> In order that project reach its goal, I need some help
:
>    - Any idea is welcome !
>    - A list of person to notify for contest promotion
>    - I need some prizes or some money for prizes
>    - Volunteers for jury members
> 
> Thanks for your interest,
> Yvan BARTHELEMY
> 
> 

Thanks for your idea.

Ismael

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